The Maker's Secret
by ChuckCharles
Summary: It's been a busy two years in Bon Temp and everything has finally got to Pam. With raw emotions flying, a 70year old secret from both Pam and Eric threatens to reveal itself, bringing with it memories and a friend from the past.
1. Chapter 1

This was written mainly in the early hours of the morning as I have insomnia. This mainly Pam/Eric story follows on a couple a months after the last episode of season 4. The idea of their relationship completely fascinates me so... I hope you enjoy.

Chapter one

Bang!

The door slammed hard behind Pam as she sped through it into Eric's office at Fangtasia. With her fangs still bared, she paced the office at vampire speed trying to calm herself.

"Fuck!" Two years of semi contained, dealt with, boxed away shit had just blown wide open for the world to see; and all because of a visiting fang banger club critic said, 'You clearly don't care enough about this place, if you'll keep me waiting.'

Before Pam had realised it, she had leapt over the bar and was pining the pathetic excuse for a human being to the floor with one hand. It was lucky for Pam that since Russell Edigton decided to dissect the news guy live on tv, Fangtasia had adopted the 'clock your phone and recording equipment at the door or piss off' mantra. Not to mention she had a maker over nine hundred years her senior with reflexes so fast hardly anyone in the bar had had time to notice anything had happened.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" She threw herself on the couch, she could feel Eric's anger through the invisible quivering string that was their bond. Cradling her golden head deep into her hands, Pam looked desperately for the right excuse. Reason? There were plenty of reasons, all the things she thought she'd locked inside a silver lined chest within.

After, the nearly killing Sookie fiasco, Pam's relationship with Eric had been strained. He talked to her mainly about work, dismissing her or disappearing into the night, probably to see the woman her made Pam's waking existence a lonely hell. She hadn't meant to kill Sookie, she intended to save Eric, if that meant Sookie died, it was accidental. Why didn't, couldn't he see that it was her devotion to him that made her shoot the rocket launcher? Not a hate for Sookie. Although in the shadows of her healing relationship with Eric, killing Sookie was awfully tempting.

"Fucking Sookie!" she growled. Why didn't Eric understand that she just didn't want to lose him?

"I don't care enough?" She spat out loud in disbelief. Don't care enough? The words burying through her enamel like skin into her heart which didn't beat but that begrudgingly felt. If she didn't care, why had she dealt with so-much-shit for two years? Why had she bothered for decades? Why did the strain on the relationship with her maker hurt so damn much? Why had she been willing to sacrifice herself? Why was she still willing to sacrifice herself for her world, herself and her maker? For some pretentious, snobby, insignificant polyester blend sweater wearing geek with an over inflated ego to tell her that she 'does not care enough.'

"Aarghh..!" Pam screamed throwing the lamp off the side across the office. She knew the issue, her anger was deeper than a fang banger condemning Fangastia in print. "It's all of this..."She said exasperated.

Pam's anger started to dwindle away into frustration at the inevitable, knowing she couldn't lie anymore; she wouldn't be able to suppress her feelings, her emotions in front of Eric. Her stomach churned at the lack of control she knew she had, if Eric asked the right questions a seven decade old secret would be expelled from her lips. A secret that made her heart ache with joy and concern. A grand revelation overdue almost to its anniversary date.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Bang!

"What the _fuck _were you thinking?''

Pam jumped to her feet, ''Eric I...''

Eric stood statuesque still in front of the closed office door. ''Do you know how weak this makes me look?'' He asked staring Pam right in the eye.

''I...''

"We were just getting back on track. _After_...you disobeyed me and-that-witch made me look...venerable.'' Eric said repulsed by his own words. ''Then you do this!'' His anger made Pam shudder, he paced, "It definitely makes me look like I can't even control my own progeny. It makes me look weak.'' He stopped right in front of her gripping her face in one hand making Pam shuddered more under his strength. "Am I weak?"

"No. Nobody would think that." Pam replied whole heartedly.

"Well imagine if Bill Compton was here... then...what would have happened?'' Eric said to himself, letting go of Pam's face.

"Why can't we just glamour those who saw?" Pam asked coyly.

Eric's eyes fixed on Pam, "I have but that's-not-the-point. You are old enough to know better Pam! We do not show emotion in front of anyone." Eric sat in his chair. "What's the matter with you?'' His voice filled with contempt for having to ask. What was the matter with her? Nothing. Something. Everything. "Thank god Jessica wasn't here." He commented placing his feet atop his desk.

"Who cares what Bill Compton thinks? He's a worthless, pathetic dork. Who will never rival you. Who gives a shit what he thinks about anything or anyone? You are older, stronger, more successful and...''

"He is the King of Louisiana, and although we have an agreement since we gave Nan her final orders. He is still a vampire king in a world that's trying to make vampires look like puppy dogs. If he knew about this... he could punish you Pam,'' Eric leaned forward in his seat, ''He could punish me... I would have to plead that he would take mercy on you, having to bow to him as my king, I will never appear to be weak in front of Bill-fucking-Compton."

An electrical surge of overwhelming emotion bubbled in Pam's body willing her eyes to let loose the blood tears for under the surface. Looking at the floor in an attempt to hide the imposing flood gate of red emotion, Pam said failing to hide the crack in her voice, "I'm sorry...'' After checking no tears had left her eyes she flicked her head back and stood tall, "I snapped. I'm sorry, it will never happen again."

"You're right it won't.'' He observed her from under his brow, continuing to flick throw a magazine.

"He told me I didn't care enough about Fangtasia. A jumped up wannabe fang banger who writes for no doubt, some geeky little magazine which only five people actually read, tries coming here and telling me...''

"So you thought you would prove him right?'' He asked dead pan taking Pam off guard.

Her eyes widened, her normal attitude returning, throwing her hand on her hip, she sat into the other, "What?" Their eyes met burrowing into the core of both their beings. Their bond quivered but it was now Pam's anger that made it so, Eric knew this wasn't attitude for the sake of attitude, he'd struck a nerve in Pam. "You-don't-think-I-care?" She questioned him biting every word as they left her lips.

"I didn't mean it that way."

In a fraction of a moment, Pam had her hands planted firmly on the desk between Eric and herself. "You don't think I care..."She laughed to herself before fixing her blue eyes ablaze with frosted fury on her maker. "I ran this place when you were...indisposed. Even after my face started falling off, which was a side effect of... oh yes that's right trying to get your memory back. I tried to keep you from harm and avenge us both because you taught me, 'Fuck with us, we'll fuck you over.'" Her calmness of voice being, defied by the hardness of her words and the single red tear that fell from her left eye, "I was alone dealing with all this." She wiped the tear away angrily, "I had nothing, I was alone; my maker was all but gone and you in your, all be it cute, yet highly annoying little big Viking boy lost state were somewhat blissfully unaware of my suffering."

Eric straightened his back at the realisation that Pam had really been alone. "I didn't realise."

"Of course you didn't...All you cared about was how did Sookie feel? Oh look Sookie's ass looks great in those jeans tonight. Sookie got shot, is Sookie alright? Be nice to Sookie, Pam. Sookie, Sookie, Sookie... Fucking Sookie." Pam crossed her arms tight to her chest, like a child mid tantrum. "I stand corrected. You did show concern for me at one point, when we were locked up for treason, you asked me if I was scared because I was practically rotting to death." Eric looked relieved that he had at least asked Pam how she was. "Don't look relieved that you showed some concern. I told you to go fuck yourself, that pieces of me were falling off, I was pissed... Anyway, you only asked because you thought I smelt and looked..." the memory was enough to make Pam's bottom lip quiver, ''disgusting.'' She turned her back as quickly as possible.

Eric looked at the golden hair covered back of his child, "Pam. I know I wasn't a good maker to you whe..."

"You weren't a maker at all." The words hit Eric hard, "The only reason you knew that I was yours at all was because one night when you were playing house with Tinkerbell, she told you." She looked back over her shoulder taking in her torn down maker, "other than that, I was just the rotting vampire called Pam that Tink called for help when you turned up with amnesia. Who..." She span on her heal, "if you remember, you threw through a door way into the hall when I was trying to convince Sookie to keep you... Ruining my shoes."

Bang!

The door burst open alerting the vampires to bare their fangs and jump into defence mode.

"Aaarrggghhh!" Ginger screamed in her usual greeting.

"What? Eric asked retracting his fangs.

"Uh...uh...Chow..."

"Ginger just spit it out." Pam said firmly, her fangs still bared.

Ginger quivered on the spot making the door she clung to rattled on its hinges. "Mr Chow said that the bar isn't busy enough to keep me here."

"Then you are dismissed. I'll leave a list on the bar for the morning." Eric nodded his head as a goodbye.

"Right-you-are Mr Eric. Pam." Ginger gave a little wave behind her as she hurried out of the room, closing the highly abused door shut on Pam and Eric once more.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

They remained silent Pam standing with her back to a seated Eric. For a very long three minutes, both were consumed by their own thoughts.

Eric couldn't take his eyes off Pam, if over a thousand years of life had taught him anything it was that Pam didn't do things without motive, cause or reason however, trivial or serious they might be. "Pam," She glanced over her shoulder her sad eyes meeting Eric's, "come..." he held out a hand.

Pam looked at the hand that she had wished for months would take hers, "no... It's not that easy." She turned her head away from her maker, just in time to with hold the ever looming flood.

Her sadness, her frustration, her hesitation made Eric shiver with guilt, "Pam?" Pam didn't move, she didn't flinch nothing; she was being stubborn to punish him. "Please...Come here." Pam looked at her shoes, trying to withhold the almost chemical, natural need to be near him whenever he asked. "Pamela. As your maker I command you, get over here.'' Before she had time to register her own movement Pam was stood beside him.

"Sit." Eric said, Pam gave him a look of distain, a 'Why will you command me to if I don't?' look but she obliged and sat atop the desk beside him. "If there is one thing I've learnt in my lifetimes it's that you, my progeny are one complex evidently stubborn vampire woman. You don't do things without reason or need Pam." Pam's eyes filled with tears, "What's this?" Eric asked, wiping away the rouge tears with his thumb.

"Sorry." She said simply, bowing her head towards the floor again. Eric's ever growing concern filled their bond with an unbearable anxiety that made Pam cry more. Laying a large strong hand on the side of her face, Pam's heart lightened as she laid her own on top, she revelled in the comfort of the contact. Lifting her eyes from the floor to his she said, "This is so annoying, I hate crying." Eric smiled, her displeasure for emotion made him laugh. "I can't control it." She growled in frustration.

"We're alone. You don't have to control yourself." He took his hand from her face and sat back in his chair, "I want you to tell me everything that's bothering you. I need you to tell me because we cannot go on as we have been." The anxiety of everything made Eric and Pam shake where they sat, their bond if not their relationship still in harmony. "Is it because when I was, to quote you, little big Viking boy lost, you didn't have a maker?"

"Mmm.." She smiled to herself, "I can't explain it. I'm just...so angry. Everything pisses me off, Chow and his inability to do anything right, Ginger and her constant need to screech, Bill Compton being king, I mean come on. Not being able to control my emotions, not being able to just hunt and eat, not being able to find my red peep toe Louboutins..." The last part made Eric smile. "That witch bitch! I know she's dead and gone... but she took everything from me. She made you into Forest Gump and then she messed with my face, you know they can meddle with me, that just makes me laugh but you don't meddle with my vanity if you don't want to die." Eric couldn't help but smiled even more, even faced with decomposition his child was one hardcore, kick as femme fatale. "But I was terrified..." Pam said with all seriousness, "After all that happened with the magister and Russell Edginton. Nearly losing you to the sun, nearly losing you to Bill Compton's 'Twilight' love for ... Sookie. Nearly being killed myself, I had to imagine a world without you." Her southern drawl dragged with a sadness.

"But that didn't happen, we came through it."

"We did." Pam smiled, "but I found something that was much worse than you dying." Eric raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "I went from having a maker who would die and kill for me and me for you, to a maker who didn't even know I was here to be cared about. I realised that worse than living in a world without you in it; is having to live in one where you have no idea of our life together, no memory of you choosing me out of every other person in this world, no memory of my devotion, my love for you. It was like reliving your death every minute of the day; because when I looked into your eyes my Eric wasn't there, not really."

Eric took her dainty hand in his, "I'm sorry that you had to go through that alone. Why didn't you just tell me this when I was restored, to myself?"

"You were too concerned about Sookie to care." Pam said bluntly.

"That's not true..."

Pam's eyebrow flew up, "Really?" Eric nodded. "You clearly don't remember me arriving at Bill's then."

"I do."

"She'd obviously upset you. I could feel it. You practically ignored me... you gave me a kiss on the forehead, looked at her the whole time I talked to you and then brushed me off with 'we'll talk later.' "

Eric remembered, "I didn't mean to make you feel less..."

"Don't worry I got used to it." Pam looked at her shoes, her words tugging a string in Eric's heart.

Eric's guilt increased in size with every passing second, the realisation of the vast amount of pain he'd caused Pam hitting him with increasing speed. He'd been selfish. Pam was right, he was wrapped up in his affairs with Sookie, caring to much about the woman who didn't reciprocate the same amount of love and care his way instead of focusing his attention on the one woman he knew he'd always have. He'd neglected Pam without even noticing his own actions, throwing her love, her care, her devotion back in her face without a care for the emotion well being of his true friend, his child.

"Pam." She looked up her eyes a little lighter than they had previously been, a weight lifting steadily. "I am ..."

"I know." Pam smiled a tear leaving her eye. "Me to for being overly blunt..."

"I never want you to think that you are less than extremely important to me... Nothing and no one... not Sookie not the future Queen of Sweden could ever be more important to me than you. If I ever make you feel like that..."

Tap. Tap. Tap.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

There was a knock at the door. Pam and Eric eyed each other with great disregard for the person on the other side. Pam rolled her eyes and walked to the mirror alongside the door, she wiped her eyes on a Fangtasia t-shirt, straightened her outfit and began examining her exterior in the mirror.

'Come.' Eric said placing his feet back on the desk. The door swung open revealing Chow, "I've told the fangbangers we're closing earlier tonight due to a stock check. I thought you two might need..."

"You thought well. You're in charge tonight, make sure there are no more incidents."

"I will if you will." Chow looked at Pam who glared back at him with a 'go screw yourself look', if looks could kill Chow would have been dead, again.

"Yes. Well...as I said, you're in charge." Eric flicked his finger in dismissal, Chow left without a word closing the door silently behind him.

"Twat." Pam commented aloud making Eric smile.

Pam turned to Eric, the inevitable truth out was impending, Pam could feel the words circling the stomach waiting for the moment they would be purged into existence. "Eric, I..." She paused seconded guessing her decision. Taping her foot of the lino floor she said, "Eric I need you to listen to me, just listen..."

"I'm not used to you commanding me to do things but I'm all ears..." Eric reclined in his seat.

"Eric." Pam raised an eyebrow to let him know she was serious, Eric motioned locking his lips. "I..."

"It's not like you to be lost for words Pam, what's the big secret?"

Pam knew she was holding decade's worth of fear in her eyes. The uncontrollable anxiety written all over her face, she was an open book and Eric was going to read between the lines. "I don't want to disappoint you."

"So you thought you'd jump a fan banger and trash our club?" He smiled at her playfully but on taking in her un-amused expression he said, "too soon for jokes?" He nodded his head in agreement to just listen.

"I've done something... I did something, a long time ago." She looked at Eric whose expression hadn't changed, "Eric I have a secret..."

"Have you lied about the price of something?" Eric joked.

Pam raised her infamous eyebrow.

"Two years ago when we were kept here under arrest by Nan Flannigan, I stood..." Pam realised she was stood in the exact spot, "here. When you told me, I'd have to become a maker if you met the true death. I cried because I thought I would potentially lose you, my maker... and I cried for my progeny, s..they would never get to meet you."

"You're getting sentimental in your old age." Eric raised his eyebrow at her, "What is it you are trying to tell me Pam? Are you afraid that you won't be a good maker? You will, you're mine... Or is it that you don't think you'll find anyone? Because believe me Jethro wouldn't say no and there's that group of_ fang-bitches_ who worship every click-clack of your stilettos. So there's no shortage of volunteers my dear."Pam felt the words brewing in spewing up out of the depths of her stomach up to her vocal chords. "As for he or she never meeting me, well ... I intend to live forever and it's worked out pretty well for the past one thousand and so years."

The words captured Pam's vocal chords and she proclaimed, "Eric, I already have one."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

A silence befell the office for a matter of moments as Eric tried to take in Pam's announcement. Pam shifted her weight on her platform stilettos, the atmosphere filling with room with an eerie sense of the anticipated explosion that was Eric's unknown response.

'Yes I know..." Pam's flicked her eye up from the floor to meet those of Eric's, "that farm hand...What was his name? Kevin, Corbin, Corin..."

"Colin."

"Yes, Colin. Your accident..." His eyebrow heightening.

"It was a flaw in my genius, I'll admit that...I was a year old, I was curious." Pam rolled her eyes.

"Colin met the true death...in 1908, I say met; I mean committed the true death upon himself."

Pam's eyes opened wide in surprise, "He did?" Eric gave a single nod. "Oh well, he wasn't happy I released him. Whatever, shit happens." She shrugged not fazed by the idea her first progeny had perished.

"So I'm sorry to say, but you are not a maker Pam."

"I wasn't talking about Colin..."

"What?" Eric asked.

"What, what?" Pam was confused, she expected fireworks yet got a wet fish of a response.

"What did you just say?"

Pam felt the words bubble from her core epicentre. The words she had equally dreaded and wished to proclaim to the world for 70 years were finally leaving her lips. "I have a child, not Colin but another." The weight of secrecy lifted. Eric sat silently looking at Pam, not a flicker of emotion crossing his face. Pam could feel a buzz in their bond, not any specific emotion, he was nil and void of any emotion. There was just numbness. Braking eye contact with Eric, Pam looked at anything other than him.

"You have a progeny?" Eric seemed if anything just confused, Pam nodded her eyes wide with fear of Eric's response. "What is...? I'm guessing she's a she." Pam smirked to herself and nodded once more, "What is her name?"

Pam smiled at Eric, "Arya."

"Arya... meaning honorable and noble." Eric broke eye contact, taking his feet off the desk. "Why didn't you tell me about her?" Eric asked calmly.

Pam sat down in the chair opposite Eric, "I tried so many times. I even wrote letters explaining..."

"Are you ashamed of her?"

"No!" Pam was alarmed at the thought.

"Then why not tell me?"

"There hasn't been much opportunity to recently...given everything." Pam sighed a breathless sigh, "I thought you'd be ashamed of me. I was young when I made Arya not as young as when I made Colin but young. It was only a matter of days after you told me you were releasing me, that I had to live as a vampire in my own right. It might surprise you to know that I wasn't as prepared or ready for you to leave me as I gave off. Initially, the thought of creating another did pass through my mind as a way of proving I was mature, so you wouldn't have to leave. I know... retarded and infantile but you'd taken me from my hell of a human life and brought me into one filled with everything that was exciting and good. We laughed, we screwed, we killed. You showed me a world that had no end and permanent new beginnings and yet you were going to leave me. Delivering me back into the loneliness I was so used to in my human existence."

Eric smiled; being reminded that Pam held him on such a high pedestal was ego boosting to here. "So you thought you'd make a pet for yourself? To fill my void."

Pam was exasperated she didn't even understand how or what she'd felt back then. "I can't explain myself, I can't even remember most of it. I was being a self indulgent, emotional moron, but when I found her, and I know this is soppy, I actually want to hurt myself for saying it but once I laid my eyes on her, you leaving me to grow as a vampire none of it mattered."

Pam sat back in the seat, crossing her legs elegantly, "It was exactly like you told me, that instant draw you have to a progeny. Godric told me decades ago that when he found you lying on that dirt road dying. He felt the loneliness in your soul, he saw your ferocity, your will to fight, your hunger for life. He saw such strength and defiance to be weak even though you were dying. He knew you were his." Eric smiled at the thought of his maker and their relationship. "And you, you walked this earth for over 950 years before you found me. You sensed my loneliness, my need for companionship and excitement without limits. My hunger to have my own life."

"I also saw your ruthlessness, contempt for injustice, your wit, your inability to tolerate crap off anyone... I noticed you." Eric smirked at Pam who revelled in the compliments. After the last couple of months having Eric say anything to her of a nice nature was heart warming for Pam.

"Arya was us...all those years apart in one person. She was young with such an old soul, all she wanted was to live her life free of social constraints, to be who she was. The night I found her, she was crying by a lake in the grounds of her grandfather's house, I can just remember thinking through those tears; she had so much strength, so much power that she wasn't allowed to use. Actually..." Pam rolled her eyes, "she had a more powerful, yet very similar effect on me as Sookie has on everyone. I knew she was mine."

Eric looked at Pam, her face wore a smile, the memory of her progeny obviously gave her as much joy as Eric's memories with Pam gave him. "And she's hot?" Eric asked

"Eric, I don't do ugly." They laughed and felt their relationship crack narrow a little, giving birth to the nostalgia of a non-Sookie tainted relationship. Pam's smile faded into an eclipse of red, a worried Eric threw a box of Kleenex to her. "I'm fine..."

"Evidently not... Why are you sad?"

"I'm not sad. I'm happy, happier than I've been in months, we're talking, I've vented. I've told the secret that has haunted me. I'm happy... that's all." She wiped at the tears which strained her face ever so faintly. "Stop crying Pam." She scorned herself.

Eric sat up straighter in his seat, "for over seventy years you've been carrying this secret around with you. I can't begin to understand why you would keep it from me. If you had found your child, I would...I am impressed."

Pam smiled her body relaxing into the cushions for the first time that evening. "You're not angry?"

"I'm not happy that you didn't tell me but that's my fault. As _your _maker, I should always make it clear that you can tell me anything that's of importance to you..." Eric cleared his throat, "even if we're having difficulties."

"I know it. I was hurting... and unfortunately you were a main cause, how could I come to you? When it was so raw..." Pam looked at Eric with eyes filled with love, "but I know Eric. Time and events just made things harder." She sniffed back her tears, dabbing the cheeks.

Eric's heart ached in his chest, he realised the extent of the hurt he had caused Pam and was still doing as recent as hours ago. Memories of his life with Pam flash behind his eyes like a projector onto a screen, all the parties, all the people, victims and entertainment, the sex, the holidays...He looked at his child who was checking her manicure. He had been so angry with Pam over the 'Rocket launcher incident', her disobedience and his affection for Sookie clouded his one true duty to the one woman he truly did love, no matter how much Pam pushed, he loved her, he'd chosen her, she was his. Even though he released her all those decades ago, here she stood by his side. 'I need to remember that' he told himself. Guilt filled Eric's soul, he had left Pam with nothing, little had he realise just, how much he had been depriving her of for so many years until now.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Eric remembered the day he saw Pamela Swynford de Beaufort for the first time; it was late summer 1905 and Eric found himself in London wandering the streets of Camden and Soho. In all his years on earth, Eric had never found anywhere better for hunting than the back streets of London, filled with orphan children looking to pick the rich men's pockets who came to Soho to find comfort in the arms of beautiful women with a price. The women themselves, the forgotten women who used their god given talents to earn a living, were also a tasty snack.

Everything a Vampire male could want was right here, sex, food and unacknowledged murder but Eric felt lost, not knowing what he wanted from his usual haunt for the past two days. As the ladies felt his arm and offered him everything and more, Eric walked aimlessly down the centre not taking them in.

Stopping in his tracks, Eric stood like a Rodin statue, the only movement being the night breeze, blowing through Eric's shoulder length hair. Eric looked around him, the dim yellow and red lights, cast his shadow up the walls, he considered how it looked like an eerie drawing of the grim reaper as someone knocked into him making him move slightly, "I am so sorry..." said the cloaked figure.

"Don't worry." Eric replied. The figure draped in a light blue cloak turned revealing a fair, blonde haired, blue eyed woman, Pam in all her 1905 glory, corseted, booted and generally covered. Her blonde curls blew in the breeze framing her face and filling her hood, Eric looked deep into the huge pools of blue and into her heart. "Why are you so lonely?" Eric asked.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked confused by the stranger's question.

"I see such loneliness dwelling within you. How can such a beautiful woman be so lonely?" Eric was truly curious.

"What makes you think I'm lonely?" She answered his question with a question, her well bred English accent echoing her own curiosity and confusion.

"It's in your eyes; you live for excitement and freedom to be who you are."

Taken aback by the tall stranger's statement, she asked, "How could you possibly know that?"

"Given the way you're dress and the way you talk, my lady, you were born into wealth, you definitely are not one of the women of Soho, and yet here you are...In a place known for its sinful pleasures, talking to a man you don't know, who could be anyone or anything and yet you seem to not be phased at all by any of it. But...there's a hunger for danger, excitement, the unknown in you, which I could." He leant in closer to her, "satisfy..."

Pam leaned away from Eric's imposition of space, she looked at the man whose face was half covered with shadows, such a beautiful face. "I may have been born into a well to do family, Mr...?"

"My name is Eric." Taking her hand and kissing it.

"Don't you have a last name?" Pam felt it strange to call a man she did not know by his first name.

"Northman." He kissed he hand again.

Taking in a short sharp breathe of excitement, she snapped her hand away, trying to hide her reaction as best she could, she didn't like that he could read her, "I might have been born into a well to do family Mr. Northman, but living by the rules of society is something I cannot do. My parents have raised me _right_, suppressing my nature and preaching the word of god and chastity until I marry a man they have auctioned me off to. Whom no doubt, will be some balding aristocrat or banker, who could not get a wife any other way that than to pay for one. Women are here to breed and produce heirs and children, look pretty on their husbands arm and be silent. I do not want that for myself. I am a person. I have needs and considering I cannot get them seen to in the height of society without scandal" She rolled her eyes, "being brought upon my family and being cast onto the street. I must come here in secret and meet with people of a likeminded persuasion." She smiled taking her eyes off Eric for long enough that he'd moved closer, "So, if what I have just told you constitutes as looking for excitement and control of my own life then you are very correct." Her honesty made Eric laugh; she definitely was a woman not of her own time. Pam was curious, who was this Eric Northman, worried by her own attraction to him she said, "Now, if you excuse me. I have some people to see..." She turned from him and walked into the breeze her cape blowing elegantly in the wind.

Eric's eyes followed the woman whose name he had not learnt, she was curious and woman who was completely open without regret. "That was refreshing" He said to himself as he watched her slip in a building five doors down. "Very interesting."

Whistling a merry tune, Eric began to walk with purpose, he'd found something he wanted.

Hours passed as Eric stood waiting for the girl to return from within the building. The image of her lake like blue eyes emblazoned on his memory.

The one of the great traits and powers a vampire possesses is the ability to read a human being; the ability normally strengthening with age, like most things in life, knowledge comes with time. The blonde girl dressed in blue was a complex case, she was your everyday breather with an interesting twist that Eric could not figure out. Was it just her beauty that made him want her? Or was it the power and strength of mind and character that attracted him to her? Eric wondered was she as smart as she was pretty? She was fearless; he knew that, feisty, defensive, honest, hungry for life...

He looked through the open door of the building into the hall, the only sign of life the infamous women saying bye to their clients, but still no goldilocks.

No one had captured Eric's attention so vividly for centuries; humans were good for sex and food, not much else these days, so to find one who aroused interest was rare and compelling. She had entranced him and Eric knew it and it surprisingly didn't worry him, it excited him. Not even bedding a member of the British Royal family made him this excited. 'Could she be the one?' He asked himself, the actual one to be one of the most important people in his life. He looked away from the door, to focus on something other than her for just a moment.

A girlish laughter filled the night air and there she was standing, clinched in the arms of another man, but no longer blonde but brunette. Her man friend, kissed her neck and her lips with lustful passion before she pushed him away, waving her finger to indicate no more, the man left after she told him, "I'll see you soon..." her sophisticated accent being carried to Eric's ears. Lingering on the door step, she inhaled a breath of the warm summer air as she leant against the door's frame. Reaching into her pocket she withdrew a handful of paper notes counting them with a look of glee."

"Was that your boyfriend?" Eric asked.

"Fuck. You almost gave me a heart attack!" She shouted, holding her hand to her chest. "Sorry that was rude...Do you have a habit of lingering around in dark alleys?" She gazed into the darkness in the direction of Eric's voice.

"Yes."

"Oh..." Pam hadn't expected that answer, gathering her red robe around her tightly. "Considering you're waiting for me, can I at least see you face properly?"

Eric stepped forward out into the street light... the candlelight gentle lighting his features. They stood silently, each of them eyeing the other with great interest.

"So why does a woman with a rich Papa need money?" Eric asked.

"I want to leave home. My rich father will not fund the life I want, he expects me to marry rich, as I told you earlier." Pam said standing up straight once again.

"They don't approve of you having fun? What would they say if they found out you were meeting a lover?" Eric asked.

Pam rolled her eyes, "What they don't know does not hurt them and believe me when I say I won't be telling them. About any of them..."

Eric's eyes widened, she was a woman who clearly knew what she wanted and how to get it. "So you are a woman of Soho...?" Eric said looking at the money in Pam's hand.

"No. I have fun. I love sex, so I have it with men that I like and choose, they don't pay me, I take the money...good knows they have enough of it." Descending two of the steps she said, "If you want to call me a prostitute, you can. I will just ignore you, but remember if you do decide to use the 'p' word, I'm a classy one. I call it living my life with financial benefits." She smiled a wicked, toothy smile, which Eric reciprocated.

She replaced the money back in her pocket and looked at Eric as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Why are you so lonely?" Eric asked.

Considering the question Pam looked at her feet, it was certain a big cash question. "Have you ever been in a room filled with people that are supposedly your equals and not felt alone?" She asked sitting down on the step. "I feel like that every time I go to anything I am meant to enjoy... room's filled with people, there are always so many people, but the room is so empty." She flicked her head towards Eric, "Why are you lonely?"

Eric stared at her, "I've been on this earth long enough to see the superficiality of most humans. Doesn't make for long term relationships."

"You don't look that old..."

"Appearances can be deceiving." He looked at the girl who he wanted in more and more by the moment.

"Do I know you?" Pam examined his face, looking for a trigger to a past memory. Eric looked so familiar, felt so much more familiar with every passing moment.

"No...but I feel like I know you."

"Clearly, you could tell me things about me that only I know." She shuffled her feet back and forth, "Why are you still here?"

Eric walked towards her, "You interest me..."

Pam smiled, arching an eyebrow. "In what way..?"

"Everyway..." Eric said as he walked further toward her, until her stood face to face with her. Their blue eyes meeting. Eric felt a fiery feeling fill his veins which he could not explain. "I can offer you the life you wish..."

"Can you, and how can you do that? Are you a wealthy man in need of a wife?' Her eyebrow rising even more, "Because if you are, I am not wife material..." She added defiantly.

"I don't want you to be my wife..." Eric said honestly sitting beside her on a step.

"Then what is it that you want from me?" She looked at her, resting her chin on her shoulder, her eyes encapsulating hers.

"I want you to be mine. My companion, my friend, my progeny for eternity... I want to free you..." Pam's eyes lit up as though a fire had been lit behind them at the thought of freedom from her family, her life. It made her laugh.

"What's so funny?" Eric asked confused, nothing he said was amusing.

"Nothing...Sorry. You just don't look like an eternity, women freeing type of man." She giggled.

"I'll entrust you with a secret...and then I'll give you 3 days to make you decision."

"Why?" Pam asked, "Why do you have so much trust in me..? You met me hours ago. I'm a strange woman who literally ran into you..."

"Because I want you...and before you can give yourself to me, I need to know I can trust you. I already know your biggest secret." Eric paused at the realisation that he didn't know her name. "What is your name? You haven't told me your name."

"Here..." she looked over her shoulder into the hallway, "I am Anna, Celine, Katherine, Ella and Marie." Running her hands along the top of her brown hair, she removed her wig, revealing the tousled blonde hair. "To those in the world of high society, I am Pamela Swynford De Beaufort. Between you and me," She shook her head making her hair fall over her shoulders; "I'm Pam..." she smiled.

"Pam, it is a pleasure to meet you..." He offered his hand which she took without hesitation.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Eric had been silent for over 5 minute, Pam thought it was his way of filtering the overload of information, little did she know that he was thinking of her and only her.

Pam sat gazing on at her maker who was so very beautiful, in those moments she forgot about the heartache he had caused her in the past few months, and remember how beautiful he had been the first night she'd laid eyes on him.

Gazing into his blue eyes, Pam could see nothing but honesty and sincerity, his beau...

"I can free you... but I don't want to tell you here, it's too..." Eric looked around at the bustling streets filled with people, "busy." He saw a little look of caution cross Pam's eyes, "Do you not trust me?"

Pam considered her answer staring at her bare feet, he was a perfect stranger and her parents 'take care nature' told her it was too dangerous, she smiled her parents disapproval always made things more attractive. "You haven't given me any reason to not trust you... Yet…" Her tone teasing him, it filled with flirtatious spirit.

Eric smirked, "then may I suggest you go put on your dress and then we'll take a walk."

Pam got to her feet, ascending the two steps and disappearing back into the house. Looking on at her disappearing form Eric whispered to himself, "She will be mine".

Once back inside her candle lit room Pam scurried about picking up parts of her outfit, her head spinning with excitement of the secret to be bequeathed to her by the familiar stranger. She stood in front of the dressing table mirror staring at her reflection. Her stomach ached with the anticipation, a feeling that on this night her life was going to change.

Taking a brush to her hair she contemplated, who _Eric _could be and what he meant by freeing her. Consumed by the time looped thoughts, the time seemed to extend, everything taking twice as long as usual, lacing up her boots becoming ever more frustrating. Clutching the pale blue cape, she tossed it over her elegant shoulders, tying a thick ribbon in a much more delicate bow between her collarbones.

Taking in her re-dressed form one last time in the looking glass, she pinned back to segments of her hair as they has been earlier that night and breathed deeply. Her life was about to begin, she could feel it.

She grabbed her small bag and vacated the room, going out into the night to meet her friendly stranger once.

She found him leaning casually against the wall of the building, unmoved by the hustle and bussle on the pavement. He was breathtaking; his hair brushed over one shoulder, strands blowing ethereally in the breeze, his suit jacket open at the waist. He was a living god on earth.

"There you are…" he said as familiar as if they had known each other years, turning his head he took in her original beauty once again. "Wow…" he gasped, as physical a gasp that a vampire could make.

Pam grinned, she knew she looked good, "Are you ready?"

"Are you?" he asked, knowing the full scale of the offer he was about to make. Pam nodded enthusiastically; she was beyond ready, "Good…" He smiled, "then shall we walk?" Holding out a large muscular arm, over which she linked her own without hesitation. Leading her down the four steps that affronted the building, "Wait…" He turned to a confused looking Pam, he took his arm front hers and replaced the pale blue hood on her head once more, 'There's a cold edge to the breeze". Placing her arm back in the croak of his own, they began to walk their first steps into their future together.

They walked for about an hour, Eric asking Pam questions about her life and vice versa, before stopping in a park.

"I have a secret that only one other person nows."

"Have you run away from the circus?" She laughed at her own words, making Eric laugh in turn.

"No." Eric considered his words, "I could be classed as a freak…"

"Are you a hob goblin?"

"A, what?"

"Hob goblin…"

"Hob goblin… No. I am not one of those." His seriousness made Pam snicker, he looked into her eyes, "I am able to free you… but how this will be achieved will change your life forever. Sacrifices must be made…to be a Vampire."

Pam blinked slowly, her heart rate escalating, a Vampire. He had to be joking, "A Vampire?" she asked her voice filled with scepticism, "Like from _that book_?" She stifled a laugh.

Eric smiled, "No the one in _that_ book is based upon a dream or something along that line. Bram Storker could never have known about the actual existence of my kind, I am a vampire."

Pam sat on a bench, held taking in his physique. How was a vampire meant to look? Eric was really tall, blonde, blue eyed… he looked more like an angel than a thing of evil depicted in that book. "Can I see your fangs?" she asked not expecting anything to happen.

Eric sat beside her on the bench, he smiled at her and in a fraction of a moment there were the fangs. Jumping at the shock Pam held her chest and began to laugh, "There are actually Vampires? Living…well… here in the world?"

"Yes."

She extended a hand forward to touch but remembered her manners, "May I, touch...?" Eric sat forward into her personal space, reaching out a finger; Pam ran it down the length of the tooth. "They're so real…Oww" Pam expelled, "they are really sharp." She said shaking her sliced finger.

Watching the bead of sweet smelling blood run down her porcelain finger, Eric was entranced, he wanted her – her blood, her body, her soul, her companionship, friendship…a life time of wants. "No one can know about who I really am." He took her hand and laid it in his lap, gabbing his finger onto the end of his fang cutting into his own finger, wiping her finger on his trouser leg he applied his own blood to her small wound, healing it instantly.

"It doesn't sting anymore…" Pam marvelled.

"Vampire blood has great healing properties." Eric retracted his fangs, "Pamela…" She frowned, "I apologise, Pam." He smirked, she was going to be one high maintenance child he could just tell. "I can free you, you can have a life with me travelling, making your fortune, being frivolous. A life with guidelines but no rules, free to laugh, take, fuck whatever you want without worry or repercussion. I can make you Vampire." Pam's eyes sparkled, a furnace of excitement lit in her stomach. "You'd have to give up everything, your family, and your friends. All of them. " He arched an eyebrow, "You have to leave this place and not return."

"But I'd have you?" The excitement and expectation filling her voice with a whimsical tone, she had known Eric for only a few hours but she felt in the soul that what was happening was meant to be. She smiled brightly.

"Yes, you would have me…"

"Where do I sign?"

"Pam. Never sign without knowing all the detail's, you could sign away your fortune." He scoulded her, although gently. "To become a vampire you have to sacrifice one more thing…" Eric stood up and faced Pam, "You must give up your human life…"

"You already said that."

"I mean you must die and rise again vampire." Pam's eyes widened, "I will drink your blood until you are at the point of death and then I will give you mine. You will be technically dead for days, one maybe two or three. For these days you will be put to ground, buried in the earth with me by your side and then one night you will rise into your new life, your vampire life."Pam sat still on the bench, her eyes fixed on Eric, trying to take in everything he had just divulged. She would have to die to be free. "As I said to you earlier, I will give you three days to make your decision, let you say your goodbyes, bask in the sun light, eat all the food you can stomach." Eric rolled his head, Godric hadn't told him how long winded the explanation was, then again, Eric was already dying when Godric turned him. "If you decide you do not want this life. I will use my powers to make you forget we've even met".

Something twanged in both Eric and Pam's chests, they had only just met but the thought of forgetting him, her filled their hearts with such sadness. For Pam this made her decision easy.

Pam smirked, before laying her bag on the bench, "I don't need three days." She got to her feet and walked into Eric's chest looking up at his face and him down at hers. "I have nothing to lose and everything to gain." She grinned wickedly, "but before you sign away your fortune. I must tell you. I'm rebellious, can be exceedingly lazy, you can blame that on my parents 'You are beautiful Pamela; you don't have to do anything". I'm loyal to the point of obsession, I can be extremely sarcastic and as my grandmother loves to tell me, 'So very politically incorrect', I have a permanent need to buy clothing and shoes, I have zero tolerance for shit and attitude off anyone who isn't myself… amongst other things."

They stood there staring at each other for a good three minutes before Eric asked, "Will you be mine?"

"For eternity…?" She smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"For eternity…" He smirked.

"I guess it won't be a bad thing… I will."

Eric placed his hands either side of Pam's head, he felt something he hadn't felt for anyone in such a long time… love. He lent forward planting a kiss a top her head.

"And my life will begin… with the dimming of light." Pam said to herself.

"Do you not fear death?" Eric asked.

"No." Pam said simply.

"Do you fear anything?"

"Loneliness for eternity…" She gazed into his eyes…

"I hope we never feel lonely again." Eric said out loud, more as a plea to the universe.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Pam." Eric called out.

"Her head flicked up, she took in a hot happy, confused looking Eric. "Are you angry?"

"No." Eric rolled his eyes, something he wasn't used to doing, "Yes but not at you…" Eric looked at Pam, his face puzzled, "When I asked you if you want Ginger?"

Pam laughed at the memory, Sookie getting blood puked on by a dying Long Shadow, a balmy Ginger cleaning up vampire goo and Eric's ridiculous proposal, all round a most comedic set of events. "I refused because she's…" Pam thought hard for the right explanation. Many a word came to mind, useless, insufferable, borderline retarded, human (although that could have been rectified), a screamer but nothing fitted as well as, "Ginger." Eric Snickered to himself, Pam's candidness was always amusing to him. "Although, she has got a redeeming quality", Eric was compelled, "When I had my bathroom, well office floor moment," Pam looked over her shoulder at the door she had slid down, heartbroken months ago. The memories filled her heart, eyes and throat with sadness, "She had the balls to hug me, even after I told her not to fucking touch me." She croaked away the frog, "Who would have thought screamer, had such a backbone." She joked trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Looking at her maker, she saw a red tear leave his eye. Pam moved at vampire speed to his side, she flicked his face and mimicked the words he had once said to her, "Hey, what's this?" Looking deep into each other's eyes they swapped emotions, the guilt in Eric's slipping into Pam's and the love in Pam's into Eric.

"Pam." Eric said with the same seriousness as he had when he told her to become a maker. "I am sorry" The sincerity of Eric's words made Pam's heart wrench, by venting her own heartbreak she had taken a chip out of his, "I have broken my promise."

"What promise?" Pam asked, wiping away the tears that left her eyes.

"All those years ago, I promised you that you would never be lonely again."

Pam remembered, "You didn't promise, you hoped _we_ would never be lonely again."

"But you have been lonely…haven't you?"

Pam considered her answer; Eric felt such pain knowing that she'd been hurting. To add the blow of the full truth would only make him feel as bad as she had.

Sensing her hesitation Eric commanded the truth from her, "Pam as your maker, I demand that you tell me the truth, not a fabricated truth to spare my feelings".

Pam winced at the words about to leave her mouth, "You broke my heart. You fell into that relationship with Sookie and you haven't come out, you pine for her. From the moment that Wiccan bitch took your memory you haven't been my Eric. There are glimpses of you but then they dissipate into a pool of heartache Eric, who longs for a woman who loves two men. You deserted your duty to me for your desire for her and when I tried to save you from yourself by shooting that rocket launcher, you punished me for months for almost killing your obsession." Pam's mouth spilled the truth in all its grim detail without break or reprieve but there was no '_Pam' _attitude, her eyes telling Eric another story, they had empathy for the growing hurt and guilt that he felt with every word, that left her lips, his command keeping the words coming. "You were so blind to my devotion that you threw away my love without a care for my feelings, you commanded me away from your side where I belong, the place you put me for eternity. You tore it from me, you trampled over a hundred years worth of companionship, friendship, love, kin hood and for what? For her? That temporal lump of semi fairy flesh? I could have understood if it was a supermodel or a princess but how could someone with such a retarded fucking name like Sookie take-you-away-from-me." Tears ran from both Pam and Eric's eyes, but he did not register, all he could concentrate on was the guilt Pam felt for the words she was saying, which made his guilt all the more amplified. "I have two people in this world that I love, that's you, my maker and my progeny… Arya. I sent away because of the _guidelines _you set for me in our relationship. I don't even know if she still lives. So, yes for the past few months I have been lonely." She clasped a hand over her mouth in an attempt to take back everything she said, but instead her eyes filled with tears she dared not let leave her eyes. "Eric… I'm…"

"I demanded you Pam. You are not to feel guilty." Eric said soothingly, wiping away the tears with toilet roll. He couldn't bare to look at his progeny, his failure hurt more when he looked at a sad Pam.

"Eric…look at me." He did not, he could not look. "Eric. Please…" her voice aching with the need for his attention.

"I can't bare to look at you... I've failed you…" He felt a hand lift his head, and there he was looking into Pam's eyes.

"Most makers and progeny's don't associate with one another after a few decades. I be damned if we become a stereotype… it's completely unfashionable." She rolled her eyes a the ridiculous thought, "Eric… in 100+ years, you have made one hiccup as a maker, don't let it be your undoing because that will hurt me more than what has happened ever could." She said with all sincerity.

Eric stroked a hand down the side of Pam's face, "I berate Compton for his lack of maker qualities…"

SLAP!

Pam hit Eric. "Snap out of it. You are not Bill Compton, why do you think it hurts so much? It's because you-are-the-ultimate Eric. If Compton was my maker, I would be dead. If you weren't my maker, I would be dead. I owe you my life. I took you on as much as you took me…we are a partnership, you are my maker…"

"I'm so sorry Pam…" Eric said looking her dead in the eyes, so she could see he meant it.

"Just be my Eric…" She almost pleaded.

Eric stood, clutching Pam into a tight embrace that they both needed. "I'll never be anyone else again…I am Eric Northman." He placed a kiss on top of her head, as the cracks in their hearts started to close just a little.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

He held her tightly for longer than he could remember having done in years. The familiar contact of her small frame in his arms reminded Eric of the night she woke to be his.

…

It was the third night and Eric woke earlier than usual from his dead sleep, the warmth of the sun still buzzing in the earth. Stretching as much as he could he looked to his right taking in his child to be, before climbing out of the coffin they'd both dead slumbered in. For the first two nights he slept beside her in the grown of an over grown cemetery, having moved her the night just passed to her family tomb, he didn't want her to wake up dirty. He smiled at the angelic form that lay stone still, her newly paler pale skin glowed against the deep blue of the dress he bought for her, it complemented her skin almost as well as the pale one she wore the night they met, but that got ruined during the making process. He knew she wouldn't be happy about that.

After she accepted his offer, Pam had taken him to a clearing on top of a hill overlooking her ancestral home.

"Why here?" He asked confused by the precise location she wanted her human life to end at.

Pam smiled to herself, "I want to see it dim into the distance behind your shoulders as I go." Her smile intensified, "I want it to fade into nothing, like it never existed, like nothing existed before this night." She gazed up into his eyes, hers sparkling with excitement.

Eric looked at the manor house that glowed with such a romantic lighting yet held such bad memories for her; she wanted to be freed like a bird from its cage.

"Are you ready?" He asked for the final time.

"Too ready"

Eric sat on the grass facing away from the house, his legs crossed in front of him as Pam looked out once more over her society prison, she breathed a deep breath of cool air, blowing it into the breeze and watching it disappear.

"Pam…" Eric called, holding out a hand. She grabbed it harder than Eric could imagine a human could grab, following its path to Eric's lap. Angled into his body so she could look over his left shoulder, she planted a kiss gently on Eric's lips, "thank you."

They smiled at one another for a moment, Eric taking in the sight of fragile human life, his child to be and Pam, her new beginning. Flicking her head so all hair left the right side of her neck, she lay her head in the crock of his shoulder. Smoothing her hair with his free hand, he released his fangs before whispering into her ear, "one last deep breath after three. One…Two…"

"Free…" She whispered into the air watching her breath 's teeth sank into her neck, with only a gasp leaving Pam's lips, but she did not flinch. Her blood as sweet as honey, enveloped his throat.

As the blood left her body Pam got her last wish, she saw her prison die into darkness.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Eric felt a wriggling in his arms, releasing them he saw a contented looking Pam.

"My nose is itching." She said wiping her nose with a tissue, "oh…" she looked at Eric's stomach, with was covered in blood snot and tears, "I've ruined your shirt…"

"I'll buy a new one…" He stroked a finger down her cheek before settling back into his chair. The air between them felt easy, their bound feeling more normal than it had in months.

Pam sat in the chair opposite Eric, dabbing at her face with a tissue while assess the damage to her makeup, she breathed a breathless sigh, "nothing a touch of 'Touche Eclait' won't sort out later." She smiled a tired, happy smile of ease.

"I am sorry Pam…"

"I know, me too." Her eyes started to well up again, "Stop making me cry, it was touching for a while now it's starting to piss me off." She sniffed, Pam was back. "But I am sorry."

"For the rocket launcher?" Eric asked, raising an eye brow.

"Sure…" Pam smirked, "not really. So shoot me…" Her honesty was commendable, Eric couldn't help but snicker.

"Pam. I love Sookie…" Eric said in a hushed tone, as though he was ashamed.

"I didn't think you'd choose to be like this lightly."

"And I love you… nothing or no one will change that. I know I've been hard on you; too hard considering but don't ever question my devotion to you, I chose you." Pam blinked her eyes quickly to stop more red droplets from leaving her eyes. "I have failed you by making you feel second best to…"

"Sookie" Pam finished his sentence.

"Yes. I wish that I didn't but I do love her and all I ask is that you except it." He gazed at his sceptical progeny, he could tell that she thought it was lust, "that I can love you both."

There was an extended period of silence as Pam considered the pros and cons of Eric loving Sookie Stackhouse. God knows that girl brought enough drama for the next five centuries with her and her maker loved her, those were definite cons. Although, Sookie did own a few cute summer dresses…

"I don't like it… but I'll deal with it." Pam said with a roll of her eyes, "but with four conditions." Eric smiled Pam was definitely returning to her former glory, "One. You promise me, that if something like this ever,"

"It won't ever…"

"if…we don't leave it months. Two. I can be a complete bitch and or ignore Sookie for at least two months," Eric nodded, "three, you buy me new shoes, it's the decent thing to do consider you damaged my other ones," Eric smiled and nodded, "Finally, when the time comes, Arya comes here to be with us."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Eric grinned, "She is my _grandchild, child, sister, friend_ after all…"

Knock! Knock!

"Uh… master Eric, there's a problem in the bar…' a female voice said from behind the door, "there's a real angry vampire threatening to kill a …"

Before she had time to finish her sentence Eric was up and the door open, alarming the girl immensely. He cast his eyes over his shoulder catching Pam's eye, "Eric change your shirt…" She said throwing a black Fantasia tshirt at him.

"I won't be long…" he looked at the girl, "Lead the way dear…" the girl giggled and walked ahead, Eric winked a Pam, the mischievous glint in his eye making Pam feel content, he was her Eric.

The door closed leaving Pam by herself in the calm atmospheric office.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Pam's eyes flickered open, lying as still as stone, Pam let her eyes take in the familiar room. Then it hit her, "Tonight."

Jumping out of her bed she was already late, running to the latch she jumped out of her day room into the old house itself. "What am I going to wear…?" It had been the first day she had slept away from Arya and she didn't want her child to wake up without her being near. Fortunately for Pam her grand Edwardian house, backed onto a little private graveyard.

…

The night was calm and crisp, the moon filling the graveyard with moonlight stencils. Pam had laid with her for first night and day, choosing to follow her makers lead taking Arya from the earth on the second night and lying her in a casket in an over grown tomb. After all she didn't want Arya to wake up in the dirt, how _Neanderthal would that be?_

_Tick, tick, tick…_

_8:30pm, Pam had been awake three hours already. She sauntered over to the tomb doorway whispering softly, "Wakey, wakey…" Pressing her ear to the iron door for any sort of response, but nothing stirred. Slumping onto the top of a large tombstone justifying her action with, "its fine we're all dead here…" Taping her nails on the marble tombstone she questioned her making ability, "Surely it's not meant to take this long…." Although it took three days for her own rising and that was with Eric's very potent blood inside her. As her impatience grew Pam heard Eric in her head, 'Good things come to those who wait Pam.'_

_SMASH!_

_Pam jumped to her feet, fangs bared and ready to fight. Taking in her surroundings she soon realised that the noise was not from the world around her, but part of her world was inside that tomb. Pam smiled, he fangs retreating… "I am good…" Congratulating herself for a job well done, her child had risen on the third night._

_ ….._

_Arya's eyes flicked open like an electrical surge had powered them. Lying still in the position she woken in, she let her eyes get used to their function once more, letting them wanders over the large open space outside her coffin, "COFFIN!' Trusting her arms upward, she launched the lid into the ceiling of the tomb and herself out._

_SMASH!_

_She banged into the back wall of the windowless tomb, her newly found sensitive reflexes saving her from the falling shards of glass. "Why can I see?" She passed her hand in front of her face, there was no light in the room yet she could see her pale hand clearly._

_"Oh my god…" Arya clutched at her stomach, "what the…?" She took in the shapes around her, "There are so many whys?" She smiled, she may not remember how or why she was here but it was very exciting. There was a buzz in her soul, as though all the magic was awakening deep within her, there was anew an edge, an overlapping tremor a connection to something she couldn't place or remember. It was as though she'd fallen into a slumber that had made the world new, clean of everything that had plagued her, filled with, "Freedom…" She eyed the black hole she thought to be the door, arriving in front of it almost simultaneously, her intention to walk seemed to have been carried out merely by the thought, "whoa…" she smiled, the sharp moment making her giddy. Grabbing the ancient door handle, she pulled at the heavy iron door, the only thing to move was the handle as it came off in her hands, "ohh…"she looked at it with a form of guilt, eyeing it over for a way to reattach it, she looked over her shoulder at the permanently occupied coffin. "He's dead, what will he care…" tossing the handle over her shoulder._

_Taking in the door, she felt around for any other release mechanisms, "Aarghh!" She hit the door with her clenched fists, "Why is something always in the way!" Her stomach growled as if in agreement, the ache making Arya hold onto the dead man's plinth, "Why…why…why?" Her voice echoed around the enclosed room with dissipating levels of volume, a light of energy growing from nowhere as her frustration grew…"Why?"_

_BANG!_

_ …._

_Pam jumped out of the way of the air born door, watching it crash into the willow tree opposite. Her eyes widened, who had she created? Pam smiled; Arya was beating Collin's rising, hands down and there she was… taking her first vampire strides into the moon's bright light. The world was so bright; its energy glowing with such intensity Arya held her hand over her eyes. The brilliant white light of the new moon making her newly fairer than fair skin exude its own brilliant iridescent glow, framed by the dark chestnut brown curls which danced in the breeze._

_Pam wondered, had Eric been this mesmerised by her when she'd first risen? He must have been; her own awakening wasn't that different from the one unfolding before her, both of them had taken in the beauty of their child. It felt right to be in such awe of her, the person who would walk beside her and Eric for the rest of eternity. Her own un-dead Snow White. _

_A shiver passed through them both. Not a shiver caused by the cold nip in the air but that of a tremor of mutual happiness in their bond._

_"Happy Birthday…" Pam called from her distance away, Arya's head swung in her voices direction, taking in the blonde beauty that was her maker._

_"I know your face." She smiled, the excitement of familiarity making her fangs make their first appearance, "Oh my…" she covered her mouth, turning away from Pam to examine her new teeth. "Pam…" turning back to face her she had no idea just how close Pam would be, they stood face to face, kind of. Standing on her tiptoes, Arya planted hands either side of Pam's face, pulling to towards hers for a kiss… The graveyard around them glowed with a beautiful warm light as though all the magic in the world had decided to show itself in a little graveyard in Ireland. Releasing her face from between her hands Arya just said, "Thank you…"_

_Pam smiled, placing a kiss on top of Arya's head as Eric had done to her many a time in their decades together. "How are you feeling?"_

_"Ssoooo…good! Am I..?" _

_"A vampire," Pam nodded, "You are free…"_

_Arya smiled a wide smile of glee, "Excuse me language, but…FUCK YES!" Arya said her accent lilting with excitement, "You have no idea how much I've wanted to say that word outside the confides of my skull. Fuck, Fuckidy, Fuck. Fuck…FUCK!" She span on the spot, jumping rather elegantly in the air her bare feet making no sound on the floor. "Does the world look brighter to you?" She asked walking away from her maker, taking in the glittering glow that came off the trees._

_"It does now you're awake…" _

_Arya laughed, "Why…you flatter."_

_"I didn't mean it that way. Although..." She paused smiling, "you make the world glow, don't you? I noticed it that night I met you by the lake…"_

_"I don't tend to notice, but my man friend said something like that before…" She said with a wicked smile._

_"Man friend..?" Pam asked, almost as though she was shocked._

_"Are you telling me you didn't have friends?" she glanced over her shoulder at Pam, "because I saw different…" Arya made her eyebrows dance._

_"What are you…?" Pam asked wandering after Arya at her own pace, mesmerised by A's mysteriousness. "You never got to answer that the other night…" Arya looked at Pam, a confused look crossing her as though she was trying to remember. "It's alright if you don't remember it's quite common for newborn's to be confused about their life before their making. Apparently." She didn't really know, Collin hadn't been any different, just stronger and even more randy. _

_"What happened to me?"Arya asked, sitting on top of a head stone._

_"All in good time, don't rush things you may not want to remember." Pam suggested, Arya's pathway to becoming a vampire wasn't exactly… drama free._

_Arya beckoned Pam with a finger, tapping her other hand on the stone, indicating she should sit. "Not finding out about me, could have been a huge mistake. You could have signed away your fortunes Pam." She laughed rolling her eyes, the words triggering a memory from the night of her Pam's own making. "What did I say?"_

_"You just said the exact words, my maker said to me on the night of my rising…" Pam smiled at the thought of her absent maker as she sat beside her own progeny. _

_Arya swung her head to the side making all her hair falling over one shoulder, "There are many things you can call me " Sitting up right, "a witch, a conjurer, a seer, a telepath. I am an elemental…"_

_Pam's eyebrow rose, "like a fae?" giggling ever so slightly at the thought._

_"Do I look like I have wings?" Arya retorted, her own eyebrow heightening. "No. I'm not a fae… that I'm aware of. Their surprisingly quite cruel creatures, they like to put themselves across as cleaner than clean. Being's of light and goodness, their beauty eluding their true character." She tossed her hair, "My mother was a quarter Elvin… or so my grandfather told me." She looked at Pam, "I'm a being of magic."_

_"So that's how you knew my name…" Arya looked confused, "It's all right…"_

_"I remember bits… little glimpses like, my dress was lavender…and now it's green…" Arya looked down at her dress, "And covered in dirt…" She flicked her eyes up, "Did you bury me?" a look of slight repulsion covering her face._

_Pam nodded, "it is tradition. Believe me, it's a lot more unpleasant when you're awake," fluffing her hair with her hands. "For the first night and day you were buried in the earth with me beside you. The second night I took you from the earth and laid you in there," they eyed the door less tomb._

_"In a coffin made of glass…" she gave Pam a look of approval. _

_"Wood is so overrated. So in your glass coffin you stayed for your second night and today's light and now on the night of the 31__st__ of October 1945 you are born again."_

_"Twice…" Pam's eyebrow rose, "I was born seventeen years ago today, into my human life." She smiled widely, "There's something quite poetic about that….born into the same day, seventeen years apart." _

_They sat in silence for a few moments soaking in the pale rays of the moon, Pam looking on at the now eternal youngster, who reclined back on her hands. Pam could see the youth in her face now she looked closely, but the way she spoke, the way she sat, her actions, were far more mature than most of old time humans on earth._

_"I have my faults…" Arya smiled. _

_"Don't we all?" Pam asked seriously. _

_"I'm feisty…"_

_"I know…"_

_"I don't tolerate and will no longer keep in my contempt for idiocy, ignorance, or …" She searched for the right word._

_"Shit?"_

_"Yeah shit… from anyone. _I'm rebellious, can be exceedingly lazy which is not my fault, I was locked in a prison my father called a safe home for my… entire existence. I'm loyal to the point of obsession, I can be extremely sarcastic and I have power that people must not know about and…" She flicked her eyes to look into Pam's, "Apparently I make things glow…" raising her eyebrow, as though seeking approval.

_"It's a good thing I really do love myself…" Pam smiled widely, flicking her hair over her shoulder, "because I think I've created a dark haired version of myself." Pam laughed, "Eric will be so pleased." How would Eric manage in to control two Pam's._

_ Pam looked at Arya with a serious expression, "I cannot promise I'll be the best maker, I'll make mistakes, that's guaranteed. I'll have to learn to think of anyone but myself first, but know that my devotion and my love for you are unquestionable. There are two people in my world, Eric and now you. Everything I have is yours."_

_"We'll grow together… everything I have is yours." Gurrrglle… Arya bent forward the pain of hunger striking her once more, "What is this pain..?" _

_"You have to feed…" Pam said as she stood up, turning round she held out her hands, "We'll hunt…" A glint crossed the two sets of eyes, the excitement of the first hunt. "You will feel much better once you have taken blood…" _

_They grinned. Fangs escaping their natural hiding place, running a finger down the length of Arya's left fang Pam took in the sight of her progeny, thinking of Eric. Would he be proud?_

_"Catch me if you can…" Arya said planting a kiss on the cheek of her maker before disappearing into the trees at her new vampire speed._

_Here we go…._

_Whoosh…and the graveyard was abandoned._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Pam…" Eric called, looking at his smiling child. He'd been in the room about 10 minutes, and Pam had not flinched, responded or done anything but smile at something. "Pam, there's a sale at Jimmy Choo…." Still nothing… "Pam…" He stood like his child, sitting into his hip but with his arms crossed over his chest. "Pamela… P…Pammy…Pams…Barbie… Karl Lagerfeld called he wants you to be the face of fall/winter." Nothing… "PAM!"

She jumped, "What have I done now?"

"Nothing," Eric smirked, "what or who were you thinking about so deeply that, not even the possible chance of a Jimmy Choo sale would tempt you out?"

"There's a Jimmy Choo sale?" Pam stood, the excitement of the words making her legs stretch to their standing form.

"No."

"Well don't say it if it's not true…" She crossed her arms over her chest, Eric smirked, "What happened in the bar?"

"Oh…nothing just some two year old vampire on a power trip… I introduced him to the curb."Pam smiled, that was the Eric she knew, "You were thinking of her were you not?" Pam smirked, nodding her head. "You should tell me more about her. If she's to live here, I don't want her to feel like she's a stranger."

"She knows all about you, she used to tell me about _our_ past."

"How could she do that?"

"She's _special_…" Pam said peaking Eric's interest.

"In what way…?"

"She was more than a human in life, so she's more than a vampire in death." Pam raised her eyebrow, "All in good time Eric…" She smiled.

"Shall we go home?" Eric asked putting on his jacket.

"I need a bath…" She looked at her blood stained hands, pointing at her face.

"And then you can tell me all about mini you."

Pam bent down to pick up her purse from the draw in the side table. "Sounds like a plan…" She smiled, "You're going to love her. She's like Sookie but not annoying or needy. And she's a brunette…" Pam said throwing a look at Eric as he put his hand on her back.

"I can't wait…" He said with a smile, moving with Pam out of the office, little did Pam know, Eric already knew the tales of Arya Morgana Valentine ó Floinn.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Eric sighed walking into his bedroom, "Why can't things just stay good..?" The question completely rhetorical, there was nothing in the world he wanted more at that moment than for the ignorance to the life of Pam's child, but he did know her. He'd always known of her. Tearing of the 'Fangtasia' tshirt he tossed it aside onto the bed, staring down at the tear stained shirt it had been hiding, the blood now turning maroon with age. "I fear there are going to be more of these…" he growled under his breath at the mere concept of causing Pam to cry like that again, the thought vexing him greatly. On the night of Arya's making Pam had been blind to her bond with her own maker, blocking him out out of spite for his leaving her, but little had Pam known that a maker could break nearly every barrier his or her progeny created. Eric had felt each and every emotion of that night, the confusion, curiosity, euphoria, anger, but mainly the happiness that filled the fear of loneliness.

"You'll have to throw that." Pam said leaning again the door frame clad in an oversized shirt that Eric imaged was once his. "Blood is impossible to get out…" Her southern twang emphasising the impossibility, flicking her head forward she removed her head from the turban containing her wet hair.

"Feeling refreshed?" Pam nodded running her fingers through her knots in her hair, Eric could feel the peace with Pam. "Do you want me to brush your hair for you?" Eric asked, jumping into a pair of sweatpants.

"You haven't asked me that in decades." Pam blinked at the memories,

"Then I imagine your hair needs a vigorous brushing." Slipping a hand into the draw of his night stand he pulled out an antique jewelled brush, "If it was good enough for the Romanov's…"

Pam fixed her eyes on Eric with intent to work out his mood, for the last few hours he had been her Eric again, no faulting, just Eric…Draping the towel over the chaise lounge, "Are you serious?" Smiling weakly, the night's emotions fatiguing her immensely, but her eyes sparkling.

Eric sat on the bed's edge, brush in his right hand, "Madame…" he said indicating the area of floor for Pam to sit.

"Moiselle…" She corrected and she sauntered towards the bed. Sitting down, she crossed her legs beneath her, inclining her head so Eric could brush backward from her forehead as brush met bair she let out a sigh of contentment.

"I remember the first time I did this." Eric said brushing slowly as not to pull.

"So do I…"

"Do you remember what you said to me?"

"No." She lied and Eric knew it.

He grinned at the dark golden hair of his playful girl, "I said, I bet you're used to his,"

"Yes, although having my hair pulled out has never felt so soothing…" Pam grinned at the wall.

"So you do remember…"

"It was the night I rose Eric I don't think I'll ever forget that." There was a comfortable silence for a moment, "unless somebody voodoo's Marnie back into existence. Then I just might." Eric nudged her with his knee, Pam slapping his calve in return, both smiling like mischievous siblings. "Am I hurting you?"

"I said those words."

"Mmhmm…" Pam uttered closing her eyes with contentment. The motion of brush through hair always soothed her mood.

Eric considered his past question. He might never have hurt Pam by tugging her hair, but he'd certainly made up for it in the past few months and to his great disapproval he might have to inflict a little more before everything could be at its best again. "So then are you going to tell me about her…?" Eric asked as her braided Pam's hair.

"Arya Morgana Valentine O'Floinn was…is an old soul in a young, beautifully mesmerising body. A human of…"


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry for the long time between the updates, real life is getting in the way. Thanks for all the ff stories, I'm really happy you are enjoying so far and hopefully it'll still be good as I work in more stuff. If anyone has anything they would like me to try and write about Eric and Pam's relationship drop me a line and I'll see what I can do. **

**If this chapter feels like it's going fast, it's kind of meant to, this is supposed to be a kind of telling of Pam telling Eric if that makes sense…Oh and the song that Arya sings, is not of my making. It's a song by one of my favourite singers called Kate Rusby, she's amazing. If you want to listen to the actual song to get the mood of that part of the chapter even more clearly, watch it right here on jolly ole youtube.**

**p.s. if you wanted to know, Arya is pronounced like Aria… and **"a bheith imithe" means 'be gone' – in Irish (although done on google translate)

.com/watch?v=tORuEdknbWI&feature=related

Chapter 14

Today was the first day of her _'independence'_, after forty five years together Eric had told her he would be leaving in three days, leaving Pam to work at her vampire life on her own, without her maker's guidance.

"This day-is going-to be-the-worst-day-ever." Pam said looking at the lid of her casket, her fading English echoing around the enclosed area.

Lifting the lid just a little to peak out, she hoped Eric's casket would be still laid beside hers, but there was just an Eric shaped gap. Flinging the top right off, she jumped out on the floor of the cellar, making no sound on the hard concrete floor. She paced in circle asking herself questions. Could she sleep for a few decades? Should she wear black? What was she going to do for all the hours each night brought? It seemed after planning a lifestyle with her maker; Pam was lost for her own, singular plan of entertainment. "You are Pam, Pam. You can always find something."

Gurgle. Gurgle. Gurgle.

Pam clutched at her stomach, she was starving. In retaliation to Eric's bombshell, Pam had gone on a hunger/fun strike, taking no more blood than she needed to keep the bleeds at bay. She knew such a childish attempt at making Eric stay was always going to prove futile, "Fuck you Eric Northman…" She shouted to the universe, instantly hearing Eric's voice inside her head saying playfully, 'Only if you ask nicely.' It made her smile.

"What to do?" Jumping onto the ottoman underneath the latch to the ground floor above, she thrust her arms upward knocking open the secret door to their day space located in the pantry.

There was light filling the rooms of the above floors already left on by the cleaner in the day. Putting on the silk black dressing gown she'd left lying on the floor before she went to ground she looked at the clock on the wall, "6pm"; clambering out of the hole in the floor closing the door behind her, she jammed an edge of the robe, "For the love of all that is wrong…" yanking at it so fiercely in tore. "Oh. That-is-just-fantastic…" She'd been up all of five minutes and already her life without Eric sucked, drastically. Opening the latch and removing her robe from anywhere near it, before slamming it shut again with an almighty, BANG!

For twenty minutes Pam wandered between the rooms before deciding to dress herself. If she was to meet the night she'd at least she do that in style.

….

The night was surprisingly warm for October not that it mattered to Pam in any way as she wondered through the dimly lit streets of Dublin. The streets seeming to be more crowded than usual, now the war over the sea had ended everyone suddenly felt safe. The war was the reason they were here, America had become war torn and Eric hadn't wanted to be in the throes of a war he was not in control of, Ireland in its neutralised state proving to be a most welcome holiday.

As she passed children with their parents, siblings linking arms, friends scurrying, partners embracing as they walked, Pam's heart filled with dread. It swirled endlessly, she wanted Eric, her brother, her father, her friend, it was the first day and she longed to see him. "Get over it Pam. You are you own person you don't need anything or anyone." She tried to convince himself, failing miserably.

Wandering aimlessly, Pam thought of Eric and the gap which he had left. She hated him for this, for making her feel like she was a baby all over again.

"_Uh huuh huuh_…" Pam's head swung around listening to the feminine cries carried on the wind, "_uh huuh huuh…"_ twirling on the spot Pam listened closely, edging in the general direction of the sobs. The cries of the girl were, "near…" She gazed at a tall stone wall that guarded, she gathered, a grand house, the sound of tears falling faded into a hum that made the earth quiver beneath Pam's feet. Who or what lay behind this wall? Looking at the height of the wall she wondered if she could…

"whoa" Pam exclaimed wobbling on top of the wall looking at the ground a long way down. "Did I just fly…?" She'd always been insanely jealous of Eric's ability to fly, looking at the ground below she jumped, landing silently on the grass the other side.

"_Underneath the stars I'll meet you,_

_Underneath the stars I'll great you_

_And there beneath the stars I'll leave you_

_Before you go of your own free will_

_Go Gently"_

Pam walked through the thick wooded garden towards the location of the ethereal feminine voice; it was so whim sickle as though an orchestra were playing alongside the lyrics. The air in the garden seemed light, the world appearing to glow with an iridescent light as if the words of the song were stirring up a magical spell. Butterflies swarmed Pam's stomach, their theoretical wings brushing gently against her insides, the feeling was strange, the excitement of this night could only be matched by two other occasions; the night she met Eric and the night she'd risen vampire. Pam's pace quickening the thrill of everything forcing energy into her feet.

"_Here beneath the stars I'm landing_

_And here beneath the stars not ending_

_Why on earth am I pretending?_

_I'm here again, the stars befriending_

_They come and go of their own free will _

_Go Gently…"_

It felt right to be there, chasing the voice and iridescent glow, like destiny itself was launching Pam forward.

"_Go gently_

"_Underneath the stars you met me_

_Underneath the stars you left me_

_I wonder if the stars regret me_

_At least you'll go of your own free will._

_Go Gently."_

As the song died into a harmonious hum Pam landed in a clearing, an oasis in the high society garden and at the lakes edge sat the fountain of the voice, a young woman dressed in a lavender gown. "She is," Pam whispered to herself. The girl was a living pre Raphaelite painting, elegant and unearthly; the gentle breeze blowing her chestnut curls about her gracefully.

Click.

A twig broke beneath Pam's foot, the girl looked up, her head swinging in Pam's direction, taking in the angelic goddess like blonde dressed in a beautifully fine burgundy dress before her, "This is private property, you shouldn't be here." The girl said without any conviction behind her authoritative words.

"Why are you so lonely?" Pam asked

"What?" she turned her head back to Pam. "Why do you ask that of a stranger?" Her gentle Irish accent conveying the depth of curiosity over Pam's being, "why do you think I'm lonely?"

Pam felt Eric's words from decades passed circulating her own vocal cords, "I heard such loneliness come from you, how such a beautiful evidently wealthy young woman can be so lonely?" Pam already knew then that answer. "You want to be free to live your life. To be who you are." Pam looked around at the glow that exuded from the trees and plant life, "Whatever-you-are…"

Getting to her feet, the girl turned elegantly, dropping the skirt of her lavender gown to the floor in a beautiful puddle of fabric. "You got that all from a song?" The full of her face finally revealed to Pam, she looked like a china doll, high cheekbones, pale skin to rival Pam's, giant almond shaped aquamarine eyes, a small nose, cupid bowed mouth; she was small compared to Pam in height, but with lumps all in the right places, or so Pam told herself. She was divine.

"I was like you once," Pam said edging her way forward gently, "born into a well to do family, big house, even bigger expectations. High society." Pam rolled her eyes, nothing was high about it, they were all…

"Jumped up, self appreciating idiots." The girl said wiping at her eyes with her shawl, before smiling at Pam.

"Couldn't have put it better myself…I sort comfort away from the constraints my peers and elders bestowed upon me. I wanted to be free, to have fun, to live my life." Pam observed the girls reactions, she was feeling each word that passed Pam's lips, "You long for…"

"Excitement, the danger of new opportunities; to not be in a room filled with people and feel like I am the only one there or that no one can see me, I want to live." The girl looked at Pam, who stood still just gazing on at her, she'd read Pam's mind and spoke her words. "So why do you still fear loneliness Pam?"

Pam's eyes widened, "how do you know my name?"

"I don't." the girl turned her back walking away from Pam towards a stone bench beside the lake. "Shit!" she muttered under her breathe. "Pam means _why_ in my father's native tongue," casting a glance over her shoulder, seeing Pam was a lot nearer than before. "Pam means _why_ in Welsh…"

She concluded, sitting on the bench gracefully, looking at her feet, then back at Pam.

"Well, it's just a happy coincidence that my name is Pam." Pam smiled sweetly. Who was this girl…? That with every moment Pam became more and more mesmerised. Could this be it, could she be… 'Stop it, stop being impulsive.' Pam chastised herself, remembering her last impulsive make, mistake. Pam had already created one progeny through the impulse of curiosity of what being a maker was like. He was Collin, a farm hand from Cornwall created in Pam's first year of being a Vampire. Their relationship both physical and bonded proved to be short lived, Collin became tedious, needy and just generally boring, and Pam didn't do boring, so she cut him loose. But this one… she was special, the feeling she had being near her was nothing like she had felt with Collin. Could she be, "the one…"

"What?"

"What?"

"I asked if you had a surname to go with Pam." She said raising an eyebrow.

"Swynford de Beaufort. Pamela Swynford de Beaufort, Pam."

"Why do I know of that name…?"

"I don't know…"

"Have I met you before?"

"No. Sadly…" Pam smirked, "What about you do you have a name?"

"Arya." She flicked her head up, "Arya Morgana Valentine O'Floinn. Ary…"

"I know that name, the O'Floinn name. You're from a very wealthy family."

"Unfortunately money does not buy happiness…" She said whole heartedly. "Why are you here?"

"You interest me..." Pam walked towards her. Arya smiled, arching an eyebrow. "In what way..?"

"Everyway..." Pam said mimicking Eric in every way almost subconsciously, she sat beside her. Their eyes meeting like a river to the ocean. They found mutual ground in one another, a connection without blood, a chemical reaction making them both smile. Pam felt a fiery feeling fill her veins which she could not explain, she wondered if Eric had felt this way, this mesmerised by her when they had met on the balmy summer's night."I can offer you the life you wish...

"Oh… how? Are you are witch that can break the bonds to this prison which a flick of a wand." She asked with a hint of sarcasm, bringing her legs up to her chest hugging them with her arms.

"No."

"Then how?" her voice filled with longing, laying her head on her shoulder, causing Pam to have a strange sense of déjà vu.

"I want you to be mine. My companion, my friend, my progeny for eternity... I want to free you..." Pam saw Arya's eyes light up as though a fire had been lit behind them at the thought of freedom from her family, her life, just like Pam's had. She must be the one. "I'll entrust you with a secret...and then I'll give you 3 days to make you decision."

"Why me?"

"Because I want you...and before you can give yourself to me, I need to know I can trust you and it may be narcissistic of me but you remind me of me, how I was before I met my maker…"

"Oh god you not one of those are you?"

"What?"

"Catholic?"

"No... but I can free you... from this. You can have a life free of barriers and rules. You can be with me She saw a little look of caution cross Arya's eyes, "Do you not trust me?"

"You haven't given me any reason to not trust you…?" Arya answer honestly inclining her head backward, her tone teasing Pam, it filled with flirtatious energy...

"I'm a stranger…"

"So am I…"

"I could be dangerous…" Pam flirted with a gruffer animalistic tone to her voice.

"You have no idea…" Both looked at each other with a glint of mischief in their eyes.

"_Oh Miss Arya…you're mother wants you_..!_ Miss Arya…" _A voice called.

Closing her eyes Arya sighed, "She's not my mother…"

"_Miss Arya…?"_

Arya's eyes snapped open, she looked at Pam who was watching her breathe, "I'd better go…"

She stood briskly, alerting Pam who stood up in the time it took for Arya to blink, freaking her out. "What are you…?"

"Not now…" Pam said, laying a hand on her bare shoulder, getting an electric shock…"Huuh…" Images of the young girl's life flashed before her eyes and those of Pam's before Arya's. Pulling away, Arya looked shy. "What are you?"

"It's a long story…" She looked at her feet.

"_Miss Arya…"_ the voice carried itself on the breeze.

"I've got to go…" She started to walk away, "are you busy tonight..?"

"No… Can you wait here in the garden…? I can sneak out later…"

"I've got till dawn…" Something more lit behind Arya's eyes with Pam's words.

"Whatever happens don't expose yourself…"Taking her shawl from her shoulders, she tossed it to Pam, "So you won't get cold…" She smiled, disappearing into the trees the glow following her, before dying completely.

"Very interesting…"

….

Hours passed and Pam sat in the shadows of the trees near the house, she gazed on at the bustling activity in the house, guests partying and paid help alike rushing around. This is what it must have been like for Eric, that night he lurked in the shadows waiting for, that one person, to reappear. Pam wondered if he'd felt everything she was feeling. It felt right for her to be here, just staying in the shadows, had it felt this right for Eric? For the first time in hours Pam thought about the absence that Eric was leaving in her life. She consider if he would think that creating a child was a way of spiting him, to defy his want for her to live alone and learn; but surely if it felt this right, he would approve. She gazed around remembering her own time in a grand prison, sympathising for her new young friend.

"Aarghhh!" Screams escaped the grand house, men and women alike, young and old, something was wrong. Edging her way out of the darkness Pam ran at speed to a window, peering through a gap in the lace curtains. There were bodies both unconscious and dead sprawled over the placate floor. Tall men with their faces covered collected the silver and diamonds of the visiting nobles, beating and killing those who did not comply. What could have prompted such an attack?

"No let me go…" Arya's voice drifted to Pam's ears. She was being dragged down the steps of the grand house by a thick set man who had his arm around her neck. "_Stay hidden Pam." _Arya's voice told Pam in her head, making her jump, how… Pam ran back to the trees undetected by anyone, edging nearer to Arya and the thug as he flung her out onto the gravel path, dropping her so that she lay face down on the gravel. "What do you want from us?" Arya asked the thug who stood guard of her, getting to her feet. "Do you have nothing to say for yourself?" She laughed to herself, "Oh I'm sorry I forgot you'd have to have a brain to think."

Slap! Hand met face, his hand, her face. "You don't have rule over me you spoilt brat."Grabbing her into him he slurred by the throat, "If only I could show you a thing or two, then you'd never speak before you're spoken to again." He stroked a filthy finger down her reddened face whilst taking in her cleavage.

"If only you knew who you were being vulgar to", looking the man dead in the eye. "a bheith imithe", the words making the man take flight through the air, landing with a tremendous echoing thud as he met the gravel.

Pam's mouth dropped open, what was she?

"I told you not to anger her…" A voice said to Pam's left, a woman dressed in a graphite coloured gown stood on the steps, "round up your men and leave. I can cover the rest." The man scrambled to his feet, running away with fear in his heart not daring to look at Arya once more.

"You did this?"

"Of course I did. Oh, Arya, dear could someone else have pulled something this grand off this beautifully?" The woman said with a smile.

"Is anyone as mentally inept enough to want to…?"

The woman cackled, "brilliant isn't it?" the question completely rhetorical.

"You just hurt your friends, and Pa…"

"Your father is merely unconscious…" She said, trotting down the steps merrily. She was youngish, 40 maybe 45, brown hair, brown eyes. "Your grandmothers dead, shame, I was warming to her…" A tear left Arya's eye. "It'll be terrible to be one of the only few survivors of such a horrendous travesty. Of course that's when I return from being kidnapped," She laughed to herself. "But I think your father will grow used to the lack of people. I mean we'll have all that money to cushion the blow."

"Is that what this is about…" moving away from her imposing step mother, anger brewing. "Money? That's all you see when you look at Pa."

"About the fortune that should be mine," She sighed, "I love your father, enough to get rid of your mother so we could be together…"

"What?" Arya asked almost silently, the words just passed choking her slightly.

"You've had your suspicions always, haven't you? You were right… clever girl." She smiled a vile sadistic smile. "If it wasn't for your grandfather…" She walked around towards Arya, pausing, "Who's probably also dead…" Arya doubled over the woman's words knocking the breath out of her. "If it wasn't for him this never would have had to have happened."

"You don't love my father, all you see are bank notes…" Wiping tears away with the back of her hand.

"No, no,no…that's what I used to see but then he told me after we were married, that his precious, angelic, special princess was the heir." She eyed Arya with contempt for her very existence, edging her way ever nearer. "You have always been in the way…" she sighed, "So you'll have to go away…" Standing in front of Arya she ran a finger through Arya's hair. "He's going to beat himself up so much, but don't worry I'll be there to comfort him through the sad hours, and the one day we'll have one of our own." Arya looked into the eyes of her prison guard, they were like dark endless pits of nothing.

One. Two. Three. "Huuuhhh…" Arya took a in a sharp intake of breath, a sick feeling passing over her, pain filling her existence. "You'll never have a child by my father…" There was a bright light that grew between them, a light that bright that Pam had to shield her eyes from her hiding place. "You'll never have a child by another to trick him…"

"What are you doing?" Her step mother asked doubling over something silver dropping from her hand in pain.

"You should never be allowed to bring a life into this torturous existence." The glow dimmed, "No child you bare shall ever bare the O'Floinn name."

"You little bitch…" The step mother screeched, grabbing the object off the floor.

One. Two. Three. "Huuuhhh…" Arya took a in another sharp intake of breath. The woman backed away, edging towards the house whilst Arya looked down at herself. "Fola ar do lámha, fhírinne!"

Arya pointed at the feeing coward, "fola ar do lámha, fhírinne!" The woman became air born landing on her back, scrambling back to her feet almost instantly, running inside.

Pam looked on at Arya who stood motionless, hands at her side. Pam was lost for words, her new friend had power beyond Pam's imagination.

"Blood on your hands." A whisper flew to Pam's ears. Looking at Arya, whose hands were now in front of her body. She moved suddenly, "Huuuhhhh, arggghh!" She screamed in what Pam thought was pain. Turning around towards the tree Arya looked at the stars before looking for her lovable stranger, "Pam…" she almost whispered, dropping the knife that was in her blood covered hands. Pam took in a horrific sight, the girl who mesmerised her stood there in a lavender dress made newly crimson by six stab wounds to her abdomen. She fell.

….

**fola ar do lámha, fhírinne – irish meaning, blood on your hands, truth.**

**So this was a considerably long chapter for me, but the full extent of Pam's memory of Arya's making isn't over yet more to come in chapter 15 then it's back to Pam and Eric for some more angst and love. Hopefully you'll like this so far.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Arya?" Pam asked kneeling beside her, taking in all the sweetest smelling blood Pam had ever smelt. Arya's eyes opened slowly, meeting Pam's.

"I know your face…" She breathed deep, groaning in pain. She saw red, looking at her hands, "What …" Tears leaving her eyes, anger and pain consuming her whole being. "Step-mother-bitch-whore-stabbed-me." She said breathlessly Arya trying to push herself up, failing miserably crumpling into Pam's arms. "I want-to-get-her…" coughing violently, blood running from the corner of her mouth.

"You will…" Pam stated sounding almost certain.

"I'm dying…" Pam picked Arya up moving swiftly to a tree, leaning her against it.

"Do not be afraid everything will be fine." Pressing the shawl Arya had given her to the wounds.

"I'm not-afraid, I am..pissed…off…" Arya growled."What are you?"

Pam looked her in the eyes, "I think you already know that…I told you I could free you from this, and I can…"

"Why do you have some magical elixir of eternal life? Arya asked sarcastically, her mouth clenching with the pain.

"Something like that…" Pam stared at Arya, "I want you… I watched you, I saw your power. It was so beautiful. I'll teach you all I know; I'll be your sister, your mother, your friend." Pam looked at the girl with great dismay, she was fading and fast.

"What's in it for me?" Arya asked raising an eyebrow.

Pam laughed, even in the face of death the girl had a sense of herself. "What you want most… freedom and a life. I ask nothing more than for you to want to be my companion, my child, and my friend who will walk through the darkness with me for eternity." Pam looked into Arya's dimming eyes, imposing a sense of urgency into them. "Here's my secret," her fangs popping out make Arya flinch in surprise.

"Am I hallucinating…" Arya asked

"No. I am a…"

"Vampire…" She laughed to herself, "what are the chances…" She coughed, Pam wiping at her mouth with her sleeve. Arya reached out the hand toward Pam's face, "may I?" Pam smiled at her own memory of those words, opening her mouth, Arya ran a finger down the length of the fang, "I always…"stopping mid sentence to breathe, a shallow breath, "wanted to me you…" Her eyes closing slowly.

"Arya, eyes open…" She complied. "You'll have to give up everything you have. All this…"

Arya gazed wearily over Pam's shoulder taking in her prison where two of the only people she loved laid lifeless. "I have nothing…"

"You can't see your father again…"

"If it wasn't for him…" her voice fading, raspy and deeper, "I wouldn't be dying…"

"You must die and rise again vampire…"

Arya's eyes opened widely staring at Pam with something Pam hadn't seen in years, hunger for more, it was the look she had all those years ago. "I understand Pam. I'll go from nothing to…" She gazed directly into her eyes. "to everything… with you?"

"With me…"

"Well then…" She said trying to force herself up.

"You don't fear death?" Pam asked.

"No." Arya said simply almost inaudibly.

"Do you fear anything?"

"Loneliness…" She gazed into Pam's eyes…

"May I?" Arya took a deep breath, thrusting her hands into the floor before flopping into Pam's stable grasp. Arya inclined her head, angling it to the left.

"Don't get…blood…on my…dress." She smiled weakly making Pam smile, she opened her eye slowly, the glint of spirit still evident under the looming glaze of death. Closing her eyes, awaiting the sharp sting of Pam's fangs.

Subconsciously Pam licked her lips, her blood smelt so sweet, like honey to a bee; she watched Arya breath slowly, moving in closer to her body so she could bare Arya's weight as she drank the little blood that remained in her body. "One last deep breath after three. One…Two…"

"Peace…" There was the sting as the teeth sank into her neck…

…..

**Righty then, I don't know how long it will be before I'll get to update a new chapter, hopefully it will be really soon but just in case here are a few things you can, can I say look forward to? Anyway… The previous chapters have been paying homage to the genius' which are the writing team and Alan Ball of True Blood and of course the awesome Charlaine Harris, by the use of little references, which I don't know whether you've picked up on, I hope you have. Although, now with Russel Edginton being free at the end of season 4… these chapters and the introduction of what I hope will be a good and interesting character in Arya, seem to be the ground work for what's going to come. Let's just say writing this has given me food for thought, which I am very excited about. You'll have to wait a while, I have some more Eric/Pam angst, love and emotion coming before my new ideas gets written, written but Arya's coming. So there'll be a new and hopefully good dynamic to Pam and Eric's life, there and there'll be happiness, drama, current cast characters being worked in and generally more angst. It's going to get messy…**

**P.s**… **this was the second half of Arya's making. I don't know whether you've noticed it but part of the conversation Pam and Arya have is a slightly reworded version of what Godric says to Eric and what Eric says to Pam (in my version of her making). I hope y'all are enjoying and will continue to.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

A month later

Squeek. Squeek. Squeek.

He'd always known.

Eric thought as he swung back and forth on his office chair, trying to find the words to say to Pam, without breaking the normality they had had for the past month. After Pam's honesty over the Arya situation, he didn't feel right keeping her as his secret anymore either. "Pam's going to kill me." Eric told himself, wishing that he was ignorant to the existence of his child's child, but he remembered it, perfectly.

…

Pam was a relatively young vampire when she created Arya, not as young as when she'd created Collin but, she still had a lot to learn about being a vampire. After all that was the whole reason Eric was leaving, it certainly wasn't because he wanted to. A maker and its child share a unique connection, a bond, an invisible thread of magic that cannot be explained or defined by words. Although, that bond could be controlled by those who knew how; with the news that Eric was leaving Pam had put up a road block between them, blocking Eric from feeling her emotions. Little then and probably to this day did Pam know that a maker could overcome and crash through any wall his or her child created, sometimes without letting the child itself know.

As Eric waited for the ship back to England at the dock in Dublin, he thought of his child being alone in their grand home, probably cursing his name for leaving. Curious to how she was coping he reached into their bond, instantly hitting Pam's block, reaching into the magic of that bond he broke through into hers blocking himself to her, so that she would not know. Hit by a flood of over whelming emotion, Eric, clutched onto a railing, steadying himself, it was so confused, one minute curiosity the next euphoria and anger followed closely by excitement; but mainly happiness. This wasn't what Eric expected, zoning into Pam's location he followed his feet to familiar ground, the small cemetery behind his, their…Pam's house. With his unbreakable road block put up in their bond, Eric watched from the shadows of the overgrown trees as his child finished digging a grave, taking in the lifeless female laying near her feet. What had she done? Killed in anger…?

Pam bent down to the body of the finely dressed, sweet smelling girl. "I won't be long, I need to feed but I'll be back to put us to ground…" Pam told the corpse before disappearing off into the darkness. Sure that she was gone far enough away, Eric ventured out of the trees, moving slowly towards the body.

"She's become a maker?" Looking after Pam, smirking slightly, "she's become a maker…" Crouching beside the girl whose name he did not know, he brushed stray hairs off her fairytale face. "Snövit…" He understood what Pam saw in the girl, she was beautiful but what was so special about this human to make Pam react so spontaneously. He took in her form of her body encased in a blood soaked lavender gown, he liked what he saw. He sniffed at the dress with great desire… her blood smelt so delectable; Eric bit his wrist, opening the girl's mouth slightly with his other hand.

"Welcome to the new world little one…"Laying his wrist to her mouth, letting a few drops of his blood run down her throat. It was only right that the girl had his blood, like he'd given Godric's to Pam. Bending forward even further he's licked one of the wounds on her abdomen the taste of her blood enveloping his mouth, sucking out what little remained. This simple connection of skins setting a catalytic memory overload, images of the girls life flashing behind Eric's eyes, a child being born the overjoyed parents, magic surrounding her, her mother dying, her step mother controlling her life, magic coming from the girl, her meeting Pam in the wood, her stabbing. Her death. "Huh…" Eric breathed deep; the premonition had taken away breath he didn't have, he looked down at his soon to be friend, child, and grandchild. What was she?

"Who are you?" Eric smiled, the same excitement he'd had after finding Pam returning, "Interesting, very interesting." Removing his wrist, he opened a small vile filled with a few drops of Pam's blood, tipping it into her mouth to cover his sent, wiping around her mouth with his handkerchief. He sat forward bending to the girl's ear, "Until we meet again Snow."

…

Bump.

The office door bumped into the table behind it. "Sorry I've just got to get the bag of change." Chow said striding towards the desk where Eric sat.

"It's fine…" Eric said coming out of his stupor.

"Are you alright Eric?" Eric's eyes rose from the desk to Chows face, eyeballing him with a look of confusion before smiling, "Never better." The smile fading as quickly as it came, pressing his finger to the intercom, "Pam."

"Causing you trouble again?" Chow asked smugly, smirking at the idea of Pam being in trouble.

"What?" Eric had heard Chow talk but the words eluded him.

"Nothing…" Chow said taking a bag of quarters off the desktop. "I'll be getting back…"

"Whatever…"

Rolling his eyes Chow turned away leaving the office bumping into Pam.

"I swear one more time crouching tiger… and I'll make a necklace out of you intestines." Pam shouted out into the hallway, the words lengthened and accentuated by her angry Southern drawl. Flicking her head to look at Eric she sat into her hip, "I hate him…" Eric smiled; he loved Pam even more if possible in a state of contempt. "You called?"

"Mmm…" Eric took his feet off his desk. "I need to talk to you…"

"Now?" Eric nodded, "Eric, it's the run up to Halloween, have you seen how busy it is out there?" Throwing a hand on her hip, "by the way where did you find that new bartender, vapide-idiots'r'us. That man can't tell a beer from a bottle of piss." She rolled her eyes at the thought, "the bar will be closed in a couple of hours can't it wait?"

"No."

Pam stared at Eric with concern, she could feel the tremor of his anxiety, "what are you worried about?" Eric shook his head to indicate nothing was up. Lie. "Tell me…" Pam closed the door of the office with more strength than she intended, it slammed with such a thud it actually made Pam jump, "Sorry." Pam looked at her new shoes, which represented the start of a new chapter, "have I done something wrong?"

"No… you have done anything. It's what I've done…"

"I thought we'd agreed to drop the guilt…" She smiled at her maker, to reassure him everything was well with them. Everything had been fantastic for a month, Eric had been Eric, Pam had been Pam, and everything was in its correct place.

"I have…" he said unconvincingly, "it's something else." Eric extended a hand towards the empty chair before him, "sit…please."

"Do I want to hear what you're going to tell me?" Pam asked sitting down slowly, consumed by Eric's overwhelming amount of anxiety.

"I don't know…there's two ways I could see you going." Eric cleared his throat, "Pam…"

"Eric…"

"You weren't the only one with a maker's secret." He looked at her with eyes filled with concern. "I don't want to cause you…"

"Oh for fuck sake Eric spit it out, your anxiety although humbling is making me nauseous."Pam blurted.

"You needn't have told me about Arya, for I already knew everything…I have carried the secret of knowing _your _secret for seventy years." Pam sat still, not moving in the slightest. "I've known her as long as you have." Taking a glance at Pam he saw her staring at him a look of confusion covering her face. "I didn't teach you everything I should have; I failed to tell you that although a progeny can create a barrier in the bond that he or she has with their maker, it's not impossible for a maker to overcome that block without the progeny knowing. On the night you created Arya, I did just that, I broke your barrier, admittedly not expecting to feel what I did. I felt the strength of emotion you were feeling and it peaked my curiosity, so I returned to the house, cloaking my presence from you… and…upon your leaving to feed, I fed her my blood like I gave you Godric's, covering my sent with the little vile of your blood that I had." Pam's head lowered looking into her lap. "When I'd come to visit you, I'd send you out to hunt, I'd visit her and I demanded that she'd never tell you that she had ever met or saw me in her existence." Eric tried to keep his tone even as to be matter of fact about his words. "When I called you back to be with me, I knew it was the push you need to leave her, to let her do her own time alone and…" Eric cleared his throat once more, "I commanded her to bewitch herself into staying away for 30 years and to not communicate with you…" Pam's head flicked up, her eyes filled with imposing tears, he felt a swell of anger overtake. "I thought it would be harder for the two of you to stay apart." He said almost in response to her emotion. "I also… and I'm ashamed…" He looked away, after everything that had happened in their life together and in the past months, he was truly ashamed of himself. "I commanded you while you slept to block your bond with her, so that only she could feel your emotion…and you not hers…because Pam, you pride yourself on not being sentimental over the whole maker thing but if she so much as cut her finger, you would have been by her side and she wouldn't have done her time."

Pam sat still, clutching the arms of the chair, her face bared no emotion. Eric went into their bond, Pam's emotions were all over the place, angry, slightly happy, confused, sad, and disappointed but mainly…Anger. Turning her head to the left, she stood walking to the office door.

"Pam?" He looked at her with eyes filled with concern.

She opened the door with some attitude, swinging into her open hand. Glancing over her shoulder she cast a glare at Eric, using an expression he favoured months earlier… She felt his anxious presence in her being, smiling at him; she put up her wall so Eric could feel her absence. "I'll be back later."

He recognised his own words, for the first time Eric would experience what it was like to be Pam, living on the knife edge of an Eric like mood.

Bump!

…

**Snövit – Snow white- in Swedish**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Eric waited for hours sat at his desk but Pam didn't return to Fangtasia that night. Instead, on returning to their home he found Pam sitting in front of a roaring fire in the den.

"I didn't think you knew how to light a fire." He said standing in the doorway, the light from the hall casting a long dark shadow up the chimney breast.

Pam stole a glance at her maker, "I've had to learn a lot of things…"she said turning back to the flames.

Eric walked slowly to the chair opposite Pam hoping to catch a glimpse of emotion pass her face, giving him an indication on what she was feeling. For the past three hours Pam had been emotionally M.I.A, something Eric really, really did not like but for the first time in centuries Eric truly respected Pam's need for space not to mention he learned what it was like to be fobbed off by the person you admire and love the most. Eric felt his guilt return once more. Settling into the chair, they sat in an awkward silence, Eric looking at Pam and Pam looking anywhere but at Eric. Pam looked so much younger without all the stereotypical, Fangtasia vampire clothing and make up on, she looked more fragile… Clutching her knees to her chest Pam's body language suggested very little communication and contact with Eric was preferable.

"Stop looking at me, starring at me isn't going to help your situation." Pam looked to her left so Eric couldn't see her face.

"I had to tell you Pam."

"Why not, ten, twenty, sixty years ago?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"That's completely different." Pam bit back, "I didn't want you to think of her as something to spite you for leaving me."

"I was proud of you Pam. I am proud of you…"

"So proud you couldn't just let her be mine." Pam shot Eric a glare of great distaste.

"You had Godric's blood."

"After I'd risen Eric." Pam stood briskly, starting to pace, "not during my first night to ground."

Eric hadn't thought of his blood being a contaminating substance in the process of Arya's rebirth. "I did it for her protection not…"

"I can protect her!" Pam shouted, swiftly regaining her decorum, "she can protect herself…"

Eric sat still, "You've always said my blood is the one thing that keeps the people I love, we love safe."

"So what now it's about your ego?" Pam stopped, looking at Eric but rolling her eyes, "but everything that's mine is yours though right?"

"Well yes because you are _mine…"_ Eric answered honestly, his tone almost primal. "Everything I have is yours, because you are mine."

Pam twisted round to face her maker, a look of mischief filling her eyes, "Oh really?" She laughed and smiled to herself, "well then…if that's the truth, how about I head over to Sookie's?" Her eyebrow arched. "Yes and I'll somehow trick her into ingesting my blood," Eric's whole body clenched, it was the wrong reaction to have in front of his beautifully bitter child. "Hmm… and when she becomes infatuated with me, I'll taste her seemingly splendid blood and see what's so wonderful about that fey vagina of hers." Eric gave out a low level growl, playing into Pam's game, feeding her anger, "because it's good to share right? Daddy…"

Eric leapt from the chair, his animalistic reaction pinning his child to the floor by her throat, "Sookie is mine." He growled almost forgetting who he was talking to.

"No, she's not because that indecisive trouble maker fucked you over, fucked you up and dropped you like a dead weight." Pam replied matching Eric's tone although hers was raspier due to the pressure on her throat. "And all because she loves Bill Compton too, wake up Eric. She-was-NEVER-really-yours." Eric snapped out of his stupor, looking down into Pam's eye's realising who he'd just attacked. Releasing Pam's neck from his powerful grasp, he stood. "But Arya was my child, she is mine… she gave herself to me." She said her voice cracking as she lay where Eric left her.

"Pam, I'm…" she screwed up into a ball at his feet, "I…"

"Just leave…" Pam said hiding her face beneath her arm.

"But I didn't mean to…"

"Just go!"

Eric stood over his child, taking in her broken down form, his guilt consuming him, for once again he'd succeeded in causing her pain. "Pam, I can't just…"

Pam lifted her head from beneath her arm, her eyes fighting back tears. Looking her maker in the eye, she removed the block in their bond. Eric clutched onto the mantle ledge, the strength of Pam's emotion overpowering the strength of his body; it was so mixed, everything flooded him, sadness, relief, anger, some happiness but mainly fear.

"After everything, you still come top Eric, I shield you from this because I didn't want you to feel it…"Her eyes almost pleaded, "So please for me, just leave me alone." She screwed back into her crumpled position in front of the flames, putting the block back up.

Eric stood straight the relief of the block making it possible, "We'll talk more tomorrow….I'll be upstairs if you…" Eric paused mid sentence, walking toward the door he cast his eyes back over his shoulder, "don't forget to put the shutters down and lock the door if you go to ground in here." There was no movement from Pam, "I'm sorry Pam. Sweet dreams." He said whole heartedly, leaving the room slowly he wished Pam would call him back to her but she lay unmoved as he closed the doors behind him.

The only thing he heard from Pam that night were her sobs through the ceiling. As the sun rose and the dead sleep approached, Eric felt they had taken two steps forward to go seven back.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The day hours seemed to take forever to die into the blackness of night, at least that's what it had felt like for Eric, who lay awake in his bed thinking about how much damage he'd inflicted. For a while he paced the lengths of his room, colour coordinated his wardrobe, checked his emails, phone call log and text messages, "15 emails from ." DELETE. Click, "32 text messages, Sookie", DELETE. She'd only be complaining about lack of contact between them, "I couldn't care less Miss. Stackhouse" Eric said clicking down the open window before tossing his Mac beside him. He'd done the books for Fangtasia, something he would normally procrastinate over but anything that acted like a slight distraction from Pam's sobs had been welcome. She'd cried for maybe 3 -4 hours, Eric couldn't really remember they just seemed to fade out into the peace of her dead sleep but even now when Pam slumbered the sound of Eric's conscious was very much awake, he could still hear the unfamiliar heartache echo within his skull.

He had considered everything that could make things better, buying Pam shoes, letting her kill someone and or letting her seriously maim him, arranging a proper home coming for Arya, all the above. Even letting Pam hurt Sookie had crossed his mind. Had giving Arya his blood been really a bad thing? Eric felt something run down his neck, "just fantastic…" throwing aside the sheets he jumped from his bed, wiping at his ear with the back of his hand. "Karma" He said walking into the bathroom taking in his reflection with disgust, dark shadows under his eyes made his face look older, the bleeds running from his ears and nose dripping down his bare chest with crimson stain. He'd never thought of his blood as something of contamination before last night, "I only intended to protect her." He spoke to the mirror as though it was Pam, Arya was of his blood line, and he wanted her safe.

Turning on the bath taps Eric sat on the edge, mindlessly watching the water cascade as he undressed himself. His brain humming with activity but with no focus point, every thought just swirling and colliding in one huge horrendous pile of mistakes but one thing was certain, Pam's reaction was so much worse than Eric could have imagined. It was now clear that the wounds that had healed had broken their stitches once more, letting the raw flesh of their relationship open for infection once more.

Lowering himself into the tub Eric felt an ease pass over him as though the flow of water granted him refuge for his thoughts. '4:45' Tick. Tick. It would be a couple of hours until he'd face Pam and make arrangements for….

Blub. Blub. Blub.

Eric submerged himself hoping the water would give him respite.


	19. Chapter 19

**I had to include Ginger in this story somehow, I think she's hysterical; I like her quite innocent, naïve nature. Warning…. Sookie in this chapter, but I hope you like what happens.**

Chapter 19

Eric's eyes opened to the blur of water, he'd fallen asleep. Sitting up sharply, he grabbed the towel from off the side, beginning to tap the blood tinged water out of his ears. 7:37, he'd slept for nearly three hours and he was late for work. Leaping out Eric wiped down his body. Grabbing his clothes, he walked and dressed himself, making his way downstairs.

"Hopefully she'll be calmer…" Eric conversed with himself, he'd starting thinking of Pam as soon as he had woken but her block was still up. Eric couldn't blame Pam for not wanting him to feel her emotions and after last night he was kind of glad she denied him access. Just the memory of it make Eric close his eyes, it had been so intense, the wave of emotion he had felt, so powerful it nearly floored a vampire of a thousand years plus. "I don't know how she keeps all that in…" He told himself, knowing if that was his well of emotion something would have been disembowelled by now. Walking into the kitchen Eric rubbed his hair dry with the towel before casting it aside onto one of the never used work top. Eric sighed, looking round the black and white pristine show home kitchen, otherwise known as the room they kept their keys in, "A note…" Eric sped to the counter.

'_Eric' _Pam's elegant, legible scribe called. _'I've ordered a cleaner to come do the floor. You need not worry yourself. P.' _Eric ran a finger over the writing, he'd always loved when Pam wrote him letters; maybe it was a sign of his age but Eric always felt that the written word was a lot more meaningful than the spoken, greater detail of thought going in to each and every word. This told Eric everything he needed to know about Pam's state of mind, 'you're not off the hook."

Eric looked over his shoulder in the direction of the den. Following his feet at vampire speed, Eric stood before a puddle of blood, how could Pam function with that amount of blood loss? She couldn't run Fangtasia she'd be to drained…Whoosh…grabbing his keys and wallet he left the house and took to the sky.

One. Two. Three. Four.

"Four hundred, for the end till" Pam handed a wad of cash to Chow, "what about the other one..?"

"It's full, if anything it needs the money removed…"

"Get Ginger to take it to the office in ten minutes, I'll give her a lighter one and I'll put that in the safe."

"Whatever…" Chow rolled his eyes, walking away from Pam.

Pam stood with hand on hip, "Asshole."

"I heard that…"

"You were meant to." Smiling sweetly, she loved nothing more than to piss Chow off.

Fangtasia was busy, bustling with vampires and humans alike all high on the supernatural time of the year, Halloween was soon approaching and this Halloween was going to be the best in decades. Pam looked out on to the crowded dance floor, in four days; hopefully she'd be with her again… She'd be happy again, they could all be together. At least, that's what Eric had promised. Pam's back stiffened and her heart ached at the thought of her maker. Why did everything have to be…dysfunctional, angst filled? Arya's coming should have been the best of occasions but Pam couldn't help but feel it was somehow tainted by the situation that surrounded her and her own maker.

"Hey good looking…" A masculine voice said in Pam's ear making her jump. "It's just me." Jethro said himself alarmed by Pam's abrupt movement.

"Good. You're here, I'm starving…" Pam said moving away from the highly confident ass of a meal.

"Always here when you need me babe…"

Pam felt her eyebrow rise at being called babe, "Whatever…"

"Shall I …?"

"Go make yourself comfortable." Pam opened the door to the back of house, Jethro strolling through the door with an attempt at swagger, "Have you hurt you leg?" Pam asked not a slight bit of concern in her voice.

"Nah, nah, its swag…" Jethro brushed his nose with his hand, laughing to himself, "Like attitude" Throwing his hands in the air in some kind of salute to his ego.

"You look ridiculous…"

Jethro's face dropped as he passed through the door to the hall. He looked at Pam who looked unimpressed, "Only for my main vampire…Roaarrr!"

Bang!

"I need to find myself a new donor…" Pam holding the door shut with her back and her head in her hand.

"He's even annoying to me…" Ginger said approaching the bar hands filled with glasses. "If I wasn't working tomorrow I'd say you could drink mine instead…" Her southern accent echoing her innocent nature.

Pam smiled, "Tell Chow I'm out back…" She opened the door slightly, turning back to Ginger, "Could you bring the money tray in from till 2, in about 10 minutes?"

Ginger nodded, "What am I to tell Mr Eric if he comes?"

Pam thought to herself, she was confused about how to answer. "I'm out back…" Ginger nodded, smiling at Pam as she closed the door, disappearing into the halls behind the bar.

Ginger sat behind the bar watch her watch, waiting for the ten minutes to pass. She pondered over the watch itself, how it worked, who made it, why it had that little red arm that always moved.

"Ginger!"

"Arggh!" She screeched at the familiar voice, it scared her. Looking up she took in a worried looking Eric, "Ah Mr Eric…"

"Where's Pam?" He eyed the small waitress with much envy, in the past months Pam had shared more with Ginger than she had with him.

"Out back with Jethro…"

Eric growled without realising making Ginger flinch. He smiled at her, at least Pam was feeding, "Thank you Ginger…" Casting his eyes up to her face as thought to reassure her that he didn't intend to hurt her, but she looked right past him a look of dread covering her normally vapid or terrified face.

"Uh Mr Eric, we might have trouble…" She pointed behind him, casting his eyes over his shoulder over his shoulder, he took in Sookie Stackhouse pushing her way through the crowd, and she was beaut… "Shit." Eric sped around the bar, standing next to Ginger trying to look busy. "Ginger dear, let's look busy."

Ginger eyes widened, looking around her for something to do. Grabbing a box of straws she threw them in the air…. "Oh I'm sorry Mr…" She dropped down behind the bar, waving her hand for Eric to follow her lead.

"What…?" She waved her arms frantically, in a downward motion. Crouching down beneath the bar he looked at Ginger with concern, "Are you losing your mind?"

"For someone whose ben'alive over a thousand years, you don't catch on…" She said shaking her head, soon realising who she was speaking to, "Oh my … I am sor…"

"You have a valid point… don't appologise." Eric grinned at her, Pam was right, screamer did have a backbone.

"Eric, I know you're down there." A feminine voice said.

"Great." Eric shot up suddenly alarming Ginger once again, to the point she fell over. Eric flicked his eyes to the woman he, "Sookie. Ginger had an accident."

"Oh is she alright?"

Eric held out a hand, pulling Ginger up, "I'm good…" Ginger said, looking at Eric before scurrying away down the bar.

"Sookie..." Eric looked her up and down, his blood getting hotter, "You can't be here."

"It's a public place isn't it?" She said defensively, altering her posture, "and if you didn't ignore my phone calls, emails or my texts I wouldn't need to be here." Sookie said crossing her arms across her chest. "I needed to tell you something…"

"That you made a mistake, you don't love Bill Compton?"

"No…" She reached out for his hand, "It's about…"

"Then I don't think we have anything to talk about…" He said moving down there bar, trying to look busy. "And now really isn't a good time… the bar"

She cut him off, "I reiterate if you…"

"Sookie don't test me!" Eric's voice growled, it's deep earthy tones making Sookie tremble. Eric looked the girl he'd lain with in the eye. "It's been a hard… nevermind."

"Eric has something happened? Pam?" Sookie noticed Eric wince at the sound of Pam's name. "So something has happened with Pam, is she ok?" Eric ignored her, "Eric don't ignore me I care about you and …"

"Sure you do, you let me f… Pam's fine, I'm fine, everything is fine." Eric spat, as convincingly as he could manage.

"Clearly everything isn't alright…" Sookie bit back, "otherwise…"

"Sookie-will-you-just-shut-up!" He growled. "I don't care if you care, I don't care anymore. There are things, that I do care about and you are not high on that list."

Sookie's eyes filled with tears, as Eric turned from her, "Eric…"

Eric's frustration grew and he was in up in Sookie's face within a second, his nose nearly touching hers. "You want to know what happened." Sookie nodded, "We did." He said with a hint of sadness, Sookie extended her hand towards Eric's face but Eric caught it on its way, "and I really wish we hadn't."

Dropping Sookie's hand he disappeared through the door to his office.

"Yeah suck it, suck it like you want it. Yeah, babe…" Jethro shouted out in some kind of euphoria, as Pam straddled him on sofa, drinking from his neck. "Yes deeper, bite deeper…"

A hand clasped over his mouth holding it shut, Pam's head moving to his ear. "Shut. The. Fuck. Up." She said looked him in the eye, "good." She smiled, biting back on his neck, drinking a few more mouthfuls. "Huh…" She breathed a useless breathe, removing her hand from Jethro's mouth."Thanks."

"You're…"

Pressing a finger to his lips, "Uh uh don't spoil it."

Bump!

"Am I interrupting something?" Eric asked standing in front of the closed door.

"Uh yeah…"

"No…"Pam rolled off Jethro's lap onto the couch beside him.

"What?" Jethro sat up.

"We're done…" Pam bit her fingers, rubbing a little of her blood onto the puncture wounds on Jethro's neck.

"You said you'd?" He looked down at his crotch.

"I lied." Smiling Pam lounged back, running her hands through her hair.

"You are a selfish bitch!" Jethro shouted, standing up suddenly.

"Oh boo hoo…I'm going to cry…sticks and stones Jethro, babe." Pam stood, flicking her hand towards the door, "now get out…" wiping the blood at the corner of her mouth with her finger. Licking it, she teased him.

"You can find another donor…"

"Already have…" It was a lie but a good parting shot.

"Screw you…" He said into Pam's face, his breath tickling her nose so much that she laughed, "Screw both of y'all..!" Jethro cast his eyes to Eric, who

"Only if you ask nicely…" Eric and Pam said in unison, Pam looked at Eric, each grinning a toothy smile of mutual satisfaction.

Pam eyed him with confusion, "why are you still here?" Jethro threw his arms in the air, cursing as he stormed passed Pam bumping into her shoulder. Thrusting his hand toward the door handle, the door opened into his hand.

"You can't just have it your way Eric North…" Sookie stopped mid sentence as she was thrown into the doorjam by an exiting Jethro "Uh…excuse you." Sookie looked at Eric whose eyes were fixed on her with dread.

"I'm so sorry Mr Eric, she barged me as I was bringing the tray…" Ginger said bursting through the door into the office, her eyes fixing on Pam who was glaring at Sookie.

"It's…" Eric looked between the two women he loved, Sookie looked at him but Pam's eyes stayed glued on her prey. Something quivered within him, Pam's barrier was slipping and she was mad, very, very mad. Casting his eyes back to Ginger, "leave the tray and go back to the bar..."

"I'll go with you…" Pam said breaking the glare on Sookie, "let me…" she said retrieving the tray from Ginger.

"Pam, we need to talk…" Eric said to his child's golden back, he glared at Sookie with a look of anxiety and anger, "You leave…" His tone deepening.

"No" Sookie shook her head.

"I don't want to talk to you." Pam said placing the tray in the safe.

Whoosh.

Eric grabbed Pam around the arms into his grasp, kicking the door of the safe shut.

"Eric, what the hell? Leave me go!" Pam hissed and fought in his hold, fidgeting to free herself.

"I told you this wasn't a good time…" He blurted at Sookie, Pam flicking her eyes up from the floor look over her trapped shoulder up into the face of her maker.

"Are you holding me like this so I won't hurt her?" Pam fought against his strength. "I wouldn't waste my time…" She glowered at Sookie.

"As I told you, if you didn't ignore my messages, I wouldn't have to be here."

"My world doesn't revolve around you…"Eric said making Pam laugh to herself, rolling her eyes in contempt of her maker's words.

Sookie walked further into the office standing beside Ginger, "Pam I'm…"

"Don't talk to me…" Pam's word's dripping with disdain.

"I can't help…"

"Are you deaf?" Pam asked no hint of sarcasm just deadly serious.

"No. All I'm…"

"Shut-up." Pam's fangs popped out, almost snarling at Sookie.

The barrier between Eric and Pam was faltering, bursts of indescribable anger swelled in his veins. "Sookie, leave now…" Eric's voice was gruff, reminding Sookie of the Viking vampire she'd met years back. Increasing his grip on Pam's arms as his own frustration grew.

"Sookie, wouldn't it just be better if you left…?" Ginger asked timidly, the atmosphere making her nervous.

"Eric you're hurting me…" Pam said, crumpling under the pressure being put on her arms.

Eric let go, "Sorry." He looked at Pam who just nodded, "We need to talk" his eyes pleading with Pam to stay, forcing feelings through their bound that showed he wanted Sookie there as much as Pam did. Looking into her maker's eyes always made Pam's judgement cloudy; she melted with every glance at the male equivalent of her own eyes. Pam nodded in agreement, smiling a little.

"I appreciate you two are having a moment over there, and I don't particularly want to interrupt but…"

"You'll do it anyway." Ginger blurted unconsciously.

Sookie gazed at Ginger, she couldn't remember Ginger ever having spoke this much before in her company. "Eric I haven't seen you in months…"

"I wonder why? Pam asked sarcastically, "Ginger be a dear and go tell Chow the shipment of True Blood should be here in five." Ginger ran from the room.

Sookie looked at Eric, who was removing a piece of hair from Pam's mouth tentatively, she was shocked by the lack of communication between the two, there were brief smiles and words but something wasn't right. "Eric, all I need is ten minutes, then I'll leave."

"I'll see you again, in a day or two…" He stepped in front of Pam instinctively. "I have bigger things to sort out… I come to my house…"

"My house…" Sookie corrected.

"That's what I said…" Eric grinned.

"No I'm fed up of you ignoring me…." Sookie folded her arms over her chest, noticing Pam roll her eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me Pam. We, Eric and I had a relationship, there's stuff we need…"

"A relationship? Ha ha ha!" Pam bent in half, laughing hysterically, "Oh god… ha.." She looked at Eric who looked overtly dumfounded by her reaction. Wiping at her eyes, tears of hilarity rolled down her cheeks. "You…he…hahaha!"

"Yes a relationship..." Sookie replied almost defensively, she had been with Eric, they had had a relationship.

"Leave if you know what's good for you Stackhouse."

Sookie sigh, heavily exasperated by the whole situation, "Look Pam I don't want to argue, and I know that things between you and Eric in your relationship aren't great at the moment but… I want to talk to him about _ours…_"

Eric felt a rapid rush of air pass his right side, following the direction of the breeze he saw Pam holding Sookie up against the wall by her throat. With her fangs bared, Pam got right into Sookie's face, letting her know she meant business. "Don't talk about my relationship with my maker in the same context as your infatuation you needy bitch." Sookie clawed at Pam's hands with her nails, hoping they would somehow cause her release. "If he didn't feel for you, you'd be.."

Pam felt herself fly backward by her corset strings…. As the door opened revealing Ginger. "He said to do it…Aarrgghhh."

Crash!

Pam landed behind the desk.

"Now look what you've made me do!" Eric shouted at Sookie, looking at her with the same expression he'd used on Pam that night outside of 'Moon goddess'.

"She attacked me…" Sookie croaked, holding her throat. "You saw it, why else would you have…"

Eric cut her short, "you provoked her."

Eric sent a wave of apology to Pam, as he watched Ginger tend to her. Ginger screamed, "She's bleeding, she's bleeding."

A hand clasped over Ginger's mouth, "please be quiet" Ginger nodded at a non visible Pam.

Eric glared at Sookie, "Listen to me… I will talk to you, but it will be when I'm ready. I will-come-to-you."

"You can't tell me what…"

"You'll listen if you know what's good for you." Sookie's eyes widened, filling with tears. "She…" Eric pointed toward the desk, indicating Pam, "She knows that I…love you. You-don't-need-to-rub-salt-in-the-wound!" Taking his eyes off Sookie for a moment, he gazed back to Pam catching a glimpse of her bloody golden head. "If you only knew the amount of d…"

"Shut up Eric…" Ginger blurted, cutting Eric off. "Pam mouthed it, they aren't m'words. Sorry."

Eric rolled his eyes, aware that he was letting his emotion rule him once more, taking an unnecessary deep breathe, he looked at Sookie with more kind eyes, "We do need to talk about…" he paused think what word would be best to use with both the women he loved in the room, "this…I'll come to you soon but Pam comes first. She is _mine_…" His voice rumbling with passion.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

As Eric and Sookie argued, Pam felt tears leave her eyes, for the first time since Sookie Stackhouse had arrived firmly in their lives, Pam believed that Eric actually meant that she was his first priority.

"Here." Ginger said extending a handkerchief towards Pam.

"Thank you…" Pam whispered, taking it in her own hand dabbing her face, "you shouldn't be so nice to me…"

"Why not…?" A look of confusion passing over her face as she pressed a towel to Pam's head wound.

"I've been … less than kind to you over the years…"

"You're not a complete bitch all the time…" Ginger smirked, "I think a lot of the time you're just miss understood…" Pam laughed, "And I swear that I won't tell anyone that you have a sweet side… I know it's not worth my life." She smiled at Pam. "I may not be the smartest of people but… I like to think I'm a good friend…" she said sweetly.

Pam nodded, "And you're not completely incompetent or as annoying as I've told you, you are over the years," Pam smiled weakly; "You deserve a raise… for putting up with all our shit."

…

"You promised you'd never hurt me?" Sookie got back to her feet with the aid of the wall, liquid salt tears cascading down her face.

"I said I would never hurt someone as beautiful as you… and I haven't."

"You're doing it now Eric…" Sookie rasped, holding her sore throat.

"How? By not answering your calls? By protecting you from my child who has every right to hurt you? Remember Sookie, you did this to me first… I gave my heart to you. You don't understand how big that is, you are the first person other than my maker and my children to get that." He looked at her with sad eyes, "and you threw it back in my face…" He walked further towards the desk, realising he felt a similar yet somewhat lesser form of Pam's pain.

"Eric I…" Sookie walked in front of him. "I can't help what I feel…"

"And neither can I and neither can Pam. You made your decision and _we…_" Eric's eyes glance over Sookie's shoulder, "_we_ have to live with the aftermath and make our own."

"Eric I…"

"Ginger…" The waitress looked up from behind the desk, "show Sookie to her car…." Sookie's eyes looked over the whole of Eric's face, wishing she had the ability to read vampire minds, for although Eric had just bared some of himself, there was much more to be said, she could feel it. She missed gazing at his face.

"Come on Sookie…" Ginger put a hand on Sookie's shoulder.

"I'll tell Bill to come tell you about the other thing, seen as my presence upsets you..both… so much." Sookie turned on her heal, rushing out the door closely followed by a scurrying Ginger.

"Good night Miss. Stackhouse." Eric looked over the desk top, seeing Pam's head leaning against the edge, her leg crossed over each other both bleeding.

"You chose me." Her voice said shakily, moving slowly round Eric took in a bashed up Pam, her head and face stained red and arm weeping blood all over the floor and her clothes.

Crouching down beside her quickly, he bit his wrist, "drink", launching it towards her mouth.

"No." She turned her head away.

"You're bleeding excessively, and I know you haven't taken enough from Jethro to compensate for the amount you lost last night…drink."

She forced her head down into her chest, "I'll heal by myself."

"I'm trying to help you Pam…now drink it." Eric's voice became gruff.

"No. I know you have the bleeds, you haven't slept…I'll-be-fine." She handed Eric's arm back to him.

"Drink it!"

"NO!"

Eric sat on the floor beside her, exasperated, pulling hair from off her face, "If not mine then Gingers."

"No. I'll-be-fine." Pam said, flicking her eyes to meet her makers, "I'll be fine."

"Don't be stubborn." Eric snapped, his tone angry, the lack of sleep and his frustration starting to take its toll, taking a clean towel from the pile Ginger had brought earlier, Eric applied pressure to the deep wound on Pam's leg, the pain causing her fangs to pop out. "I just want them to heal…"

"You can't cure my wounds with your blood Eric." Pam said mindlessly as she clambered to her feet.

"It could at least heal the ones in your flesh…"

"I put Sookie in her car like you said…" Ginger blurted as she burst back into the room.

"Good. Thank you Ginger dear that will be all…" Eric said jumping to his feet, flicking a finger in dismissal.

"Everythin' alright in here?" Ginger gazed on a dishevelled and bleeding Pam, she couldn't ever remember seeing Pam look less than perfect. "Do you need any of m'blood?"

"No." Pam smiled weakly, "Thank you." In the months Eric has been lost Pam had become quite fond of Ginger in a way, she'd relied on her for much of the daily chores for Fangtasia and for the important injections which gave her back her face. "Go home and relax…"

Ginger smiled at both vampires, "Night…"

There was a silence between them, an awkward silence, Eric watching Pam hobble over to the couch.

"Pam…"

"Don't talk yet…" She requested flopping limply down onto the soft seating, letting it hug her sore parts in a gentle embrace. Sitting with her eyes closed she felt her wounds begin to heal, the little particles of skin fusing to each other once more. "Why did you do it?"

"I didn't want you or Sookie…"

"Don't act dumb it's not becoming of you." Adjusting her posture.

"It wasn't to piss you off." Eric sat next to Pam.

"Failed… Miserably."

"I wanted her to be protected. Maybe I self indulged my ego." Pam opened one eye looking, "Ok I indulged my ego."

"I suppose I see method in your madness." Pam said closing her eye back to its original state.

"Am I forgiven?

"Not nearly." Eric took wipes out of Pam's bag on the floor, starting to wipe clean the wound on her head. "What are you doing?" Eric didn't utter a word just continuing to wipe at the skin. They sat in silence for a while, Pam lounging back into the soft pillows enjoying her maker's gentle touch on her skin, relishing the silence.

"I'm sorry." Eric said sincerely.

"You've been saying those words a lot recently."

"I've meant them each time…"

"They're beginning to lose their power." Pushing Eric's hand from her face Pam looked Eric in the eye, a fire of hurt and animosity burning behind them; shifting awkwardly further down the couch.

"I mean them Pam." Eric said staring at Pam in disbelief when she rolled her eyes, "you don't believe me?"

"Less and less every time you say them…"

"Well I believe that I mean them with good intention…"

"Well, good for you." She looked away from him, a growing awkward silence once more. Pam could tell that Eric meant what he said, she could feel it but she was not ready to let go of her wrath quite yet. "When was the last time you saw her…? Sookie."

"The last time we did this…" Eric cast his eyes over the four walls that a seen so much of their drama unfold.

"You're telling me you stayed away from her for a whole month?" Eric nodded, "I guess her spell is breaking…"

"I still feel for her."

"And that is why you threw me off of her?" Pam's eyebrow rose, a look of distaste covering her face.

"Yes…" Eric shivered as a rush of anger rolled through their bond, "but mainly because if you had killed Sookie Stackhouse Pam, you would have been hunted down and slain. I never want you to die." The thought of Pam's death made Eric nauseous.

"Apart from when you want to kill me yourself"

"You know I didn't really mean that"

"Oh… I know you did."

"I was angry"

"So was I…" Pam glowered down into the depths of Eric, "My maker was willing to die for a human with no consideration for the person her created."

"I thought you had forgiven me for that."

"I have," Pam smiled weakly, "I do, but it's a lot harder to forget them." The two vampires looked in opposite directions, thinking about one another in silence. Pam dwelled in her confusion of emotion, part of her wanting to rip Eric limb from limb and the other part just wanting him to hold her, knowing deep down that he had only given Arya his blood for her own protection.

"I had to tell you the truth." Eric said looking at Pam's profile, "it didn't feel right to keep her a secret when you had freed her… Would it have been better for her to have arrived in four days time and drop the bombshell of my knowledge?"

Pam blinked back tears, "we don't know whether she still lives to return". Pam played with her fingers, looking at her hands in an attempt to hold back her emotion but Eric felt the surge, Pam had let down her barrier. Cupping her face in his hand he turned her face toward his, smiling with conviction Eric said, "I know."


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello again… Sorry for the pause between updates. I've been crazy busy but I'm on Christmas break now.. YAY! So there should be quite quick updates if I can find my notebook...**

**Cén fáth a bhfuil****mé ag obair****le daoine – Why do I work with people? Literal translation – Why I work with people? –in Irish**

Chapter 21

Pam's eyes fluttered. "What?"

"I know that she was at least alive six months ago."

Pam's eyes lightened her posture strengthening, "How do you know?"

Considering his words Eric paused, just looking at the hope replacing the wrath in Pam's eyes, "We had an arrangement…" Getting to his feet Eric sped to the far end of the office, picking up a trunk and speeding back dumping in front of Pam.

"A chest!" Pam asked confused.

Crouching down beside it, Eric opened in slowly as though anticipating an attack from within, its hinges creaking with age.

"Towels?" Pam asked taking a aubergine coloured towel out of its holding place, "she sends you these as proof of her existence?" She squinted her eyes, "I don't understand…" throwing the towel beside her on the couch. At a rapid speed Eric removed the remaining towels, smiling at Pam, "An empty chest?" She rolled her eyes, "Connect the dots…"

"You really have no imagination do you…" Getting up from his lowered position Eric rolled his eyes, kicking the side of the chest with some vigour, releasing the catch to the hidden compartment beneath the bottom board. Bending over he picked up a pile of tapes and CD's, handing them to Pam. "Videos, every four months of every year since I made you leave her." His words uttered with an edge of regret.

There was silence, just the tick of the clock.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Eric smiled at the sight of a happy Pam, she had sat forward in her seat looking at the pile with carbon fibre and plastic with delight, she was holding a part of her child for the first time in decades. The thought filling her stomach with butterflies, her blood becoming hotter her heart lighter.

"But you don't know whether she lives now?" Pam's expression became seriousness, her eyes fixed on Eric's face.

"Can't you just focus on the positive?" Eric sighs, "It would seem that you're not the only one who likes to block me out…" Eric looked down at the chest which had hid his biggest secret from Pam, "but what is the likelihood that someone has managed to take out your robust piece of magical and vampire genius?" Pam nodded, comforted by her maker's accurate and truthful words, Arya was powerful she could not have fallen.

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"When she moved to Texas…1999?" He concentrated, "No…the year 2000"

"She has lived that close to us…?" Pam's eyes filled with happiness.

"She has never been that far behind you…us." Eric smiled.

"That's comforting…" She smiled into her lap, attempting to hide the happy tears which filled her eyes, "So she's in Texas. How she can tolerate the red neck population there is beyond me."

"She is in New Orleans's."

Eric blinked at the sudden flicking movement of Pam's head. "New Orleans? That's like an hour away by car." Eric nodded, "How can I not feel her when she's so near? Is there something wrong with me? Did I make her wrong?" Pam asked staring Eric in the eyes, truly worried.

"No…" Reaching a hand out to her cheek her caressed it gently, "you haven't done anything wrong. You made her perfectly." He smiled with reassurance, "it's the enchantment she put on herself at my bequest. Sorry."

Pam ignored Eric, lost in her mind. Looking at the pile of CDs in her hands she considered their contents. Would she look different? How could she, it's not like vampires aged. Thinking of Arya made Pam's heart lighten, looking at Eric who was as equally occupied by his own thoughts Pam contemplated their relationship. For the whole of her human life Pam had wished for a white knight to come and sweep her from her hell and for her Eric had been that knight, saving her from disease, age, death and wrinkles. In all the decades they had been with one another, only two years had been really shaky, two years… Taking in her maker's vacant expression she felt her heart heal a little and the anger subside, Eric had done wrong, very wrong but his pros outweighed his cons. She loved him. "She's on these."

"Yes…" putting his weight onto his right leg Eric reached into his back pocket, "this is the most recent…" Laying a memory stick in Pam's hand.

"Can I watch these?"

"Of course you can…" taking everything out of Pam's hands he moved speedily to his desk, opening his laptop. "Which one do you want to watch first?"

"Newest…"

"Come here then." Eric stuck the drive into the side of his laptop, looking up to find Pam beside him. Rolling back on the wheels of his desk chair Eric tapped his lap indicating that Pam should sit on his knees.

Rolling her eyes she sat, "What am I three?"

"One hundred and forty_ three_."

Pam smirked at the computer screen watching the video file load with anticipation, butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

Looking at the back of his child, Eric felt the block in their bond drop, for the first time in days Pam was completely unguarded. Emotions swirled within him, happiness with an edge nervousness which was only confirmed by the constant tapping of her $100 manicure on the desk top.

"It's finished."

"Are you ready?"

"Shut up and play it already."

Resting his head on Pam's back, Eric tapped a finger on the touch pad, the screen taking life almost immediately.

"_It's on A…" An unfamiliar Southern male voice announced._

"_Thank you Roaul…" Pam smiled at the very familiar which filled her with so much happiness. "Now take yourself home and rest that flu of yours away… I can't afford to have my best barman gone for too long…"_

"**She's a lot more Southern now." Pam spoke to the pressure on her back.**

"_Are you sure?" _

"_Yes. I'll need you to help me run this place one day… Go."_

_Click. Click. Click. "Miss Arya?"_

"_Oh it's you…you're late…again."_

"_Yes I'm sorry I…" The nervous, nameless, faceless girl said._

"_Don't care…"_

"_No I do care…"_

"_No I mean I don't care…" Arya said bluntly._

"_But I…"_

"_Will you just leave." Arya commanded as her waistline appeared in the shot._

"_But Miss Arya…"_

"_Don't but Miss Arya me. I told you the first time you were late, once more I would take as an accident, twice more you'd be pushing it, third time…" There was a dead silence… "You're lucky I'm patient, a few vampire bosses I know would have had you hung, drawn and quartered by now… theoretically speaking of course." The Southern drawl adding a sinister edge to her supposedly joking words._

_The girl whimpered, "I really need this job…"_

"_And I need efficient staff that do as they're told."_

There was a lull in the conversation, Pam couldn't take her eyes off the black corseted waistline with a Cartier necklace dangling just to the navel. "She's wearing Cartier…"

"_Arya please I need this job, I have bills to pay, my rent is due…" The girl pleaded._

"_Are you still here?" Her waistline getting nearer to the camera._

"_You don't have to be such a bitch about it…"_

"_Oh but I can because let me tell you something. On top of your incompetence, this has already been a very long and frustrating night and it's only nearly 7:30. Unlike you, I got here on time, I've already done a stock check, given everyone their duties, I've arranged a party, taken orders, made orders, counted and re stocked the cash registers, greeted our patrons and entertained people I don't give a shit about and introduced two asshole rednecks to the curb and now to top it off I now have a needy, whiney barmaid keeping me from my next job, which is…one of my favourite things to do on a Saturday night. The accounts." Bang! A pile of books dropped on to the desk making the camera shake. "So if you think that I really care about the reason behind your ineptitude to do your job, you must have me confused for someone who gives a shit." There were far away weeps, "Now…get out." Arya added calmly, footsteps running from the room taking the weeps with them._

Pam smiled over her shoulder at Eric, who winked at her, in appreciation for her child's actions.

"_Cén fáth a bhfuil__mé ag obair__le daoine." Arya asked herself in her native tongue, clearly exasperated and…_

"She's so tired." Pam said aloud.

"She works hard… She owns a number of businesses…you know how long the hours are."

In a shift movement the chair rolled back from the desk and there she was grinning. Her face hadn't changed at all, not that Pam had really expected it to. Her chestnut hair, her high cheekbones, the infamous aquamarine eyes smoked out with makeup, her lips stained red giving they rose shape its accurate colouring. Pam couldn't help but think she hadn't given her memory as much justice as it was due. Eric sat up wrapping his arms around Pam's waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"_Hello old man…" _The two makers laughed, _"sorry about that…" _pointing toward the camera_, "I forgot this thing was on." _She rolled her eyes.

"Old man…" Pam snickered, "I'll remember that…"

"_All is fine here."_

"This works as a conversation…" Eric whispered in Pam's ear.

"I might be blonde Eric but I gather that much…" Pam patted Eric's hand.

Arya smiled, laughing to herself, _"Sorry…I just thought of asking you how you were… You're a vampire; it doesn't get any better or more serious than that right? And you're right, that's the AVL for you…making us all feel compelled to ask how every being is feeling, brain washing us all into oblivion." _She rolled her eyes, looking ever more like Pam. _"Conforming to the politically correct PC culture of the modern day baby kissing, people hugging vampires… not to mention that Nan Flannigan." Arya shivered, "Ick…Completely overrated, and not hot. She's a really great face for the happy clappy vampire clan. A bunny boiler in last season's Chanel, who would happily rip out a vampire's gurgler while some human politician heats her a True Blood." _She sat back into the seat, exasperated, _"you can't even threaten someone with violence anymore without some form of punishment…" _She looked into the camera, _"I've heard you've had a little trouble with her…" _Eric and Pam nodded, _"She'll get what she deserves…" _Arya smiled wickedly, eyebrow rising. "_I can't say I'm not glad the magister's dead, he was a horrid little man, all bark no bravado… the AVL's puppet and face of justice my ass, , something tell me no one rolled a tear when he met the true death… Now if only someone could do that to Nan and the world would be all the brighter." _She made her eyebrows dance, up, down, up, down, her eyes looking right down the camera's lens.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

_Her eyes cast away from the camera looking out over the top.__"Arya, the crowds calling for you…"_

"_OK!" She shouted, her eyes flicked back to the camera, "No rest for the wicked…I'll finish this when I get home…" She smiled, winking._

_Black._

"Is that it?"

"Just, keep, watching…" Eric rolled his eyes, Pam's impatience was cute but growingly annoying.

_Click. Click. Click. Click._

"_Why won't this thing balance..?" The lens span to face a chair backing onto brocade printed wall of pastel blues and creams, a roaring fire at its centre. "Stay." Her voice said irritably, appearing in front of Pam's eyes as fast as her words passed. Pam blinked slowly, Arya looked younger, the corset and makeup were gone replaced by an oversized shirt and clear porcelain skin, her hair falling softly around her heart shaped face. This was how Pam remembered her best. "Hey…" She smiled wearily, "sorry about earlier…you know how it is." Adjusting her posture in the chair, she pulled her legs up into her chest, "So Rubin's dead? I guess that's what happens when you cross my maker hmm…?" She smiled broadly, _Pam felt a wave of impressed happiness flow over her._ "He deserved it whatever he did, although, I'm quite jealous it wasn't me...get him back for pinching my ass all those times." There was a paused in the flow, "Ahhh, shit. Too much work, to little play, makes Arya bleed…" Arya tossed her hair up into a elegantly dishevelled bun, revealed her haemorrhaging ears, extending her arm of screen to retrieve a handkerchief for bleeds that ran from her nose, wiping away at the blood she carried on, "By the way, where do you find your assassin messenger boys? ? Seriously, Eric let Pam chose from now on…" Pam smiled at the mention of her name, "I didn't think there could be someone of a lower IQ than that tree trunk, but the new Gump is a whole other breed of idiot. He has no subtly…just stormed right on into the club yelling my name like a crazed sugar filled toddler; he's easily distracted and probably couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag let alone kill your enemies." She tossed aside the blood stained tissue, "but there we are…" She smiled with her eyes, "I'm glad she's alright, I couldn't bare anything but okay…"_

Eric rolled his head on Pam's back, sending a surge of thought through their bond, shining a spot light at Arya's concern for her well being, making Pam smile widely. "She's always looking out for you…" Eric said wordlessly to Pam.

"_You're welcome by the way. That spell I put around you out in the sun was a lot harder going from all the way here in New Orleans, but at least you got one over on that bastard Edgington." Arya looked down at the desk, "Honestly, I feel useless…" _

Pam laid a hand on top of Eric's, as though it was Arya's squeezing it with a comforting pressure of reassurance. The thought of her child away from Eric and herself was heartbreaking enough but to here such critical words leave the lips of her magnificent creation was heart shattering.

"She protected you?" Pam asked.

"I sent her a message through the bond and she put up a smoke screen literally. She tried to stop me from burning but it drained her I could feel her strength dwindle, the distance and the magical forces were hindering her power flow from N.O". Eric smiled, "I told her to stop."

"_I could feel it all you know…When Russell Edgington took Pam captive" Arya's face became serious, harder, "You both may not be able to feel me but I could feel you, the anxiety, the hurt at the thought of losing her. I felt her worry about not being able to see me again, about you going to face the sun, potentially dying to kill him and save that Sookie..." Her eyes narrowed as Sookie's name passed her lips. "I can feel something building now. You're both sending me waves of unreadable emotion; it quivers in me all night and all day as I slumber… this sickening sense of dread. What kind of an asset can I being out here in exile?"_

Pam felt a tear leave her eye, "She feels exiled…"

"She misses you Pam…of course being away from you would feel like being in exile…" Eric said, in matter of fact tone. "It doesn't mean you abandoned her or that you did wrong by her…"

"_I know there's no point of me asking but something is going to happen, something major that will cause…damage... Try and get Pam to lift this damn hex and let me lift the one I made, because you are going to need someone, Pam's going to need someone and what use is there having a magical being at your disposal if I can't come within four miles of you both." _Pam felt Arya's eyes bury deep within her, speaking directly to her soul. _"I know that my time is almost up … but …" Her eyes widened, blinking quickly as though realising at super speed she was beginning to beg, "I won't beg for you to end this…but know Eric, without being near you there's only so much I can do." She looked off screen, focusing on something, holding a hand to her head she pressed her knuckles between her eyes. _

"Something's bothering her…" Pam spoke aloud to no one in particular, watch Arya's as she closed her eyes, concentrating on something within, tension filling her frame.

"_Something is coming… something, above your power and strength and you're going to walk right into it, you'll need me but I know that won't happen…" She sighed, "Mind your arrogance Eric…" She opened and lifted her eyes to the camera, they appeared darker, deeper in some way. "I know how the saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies' closer… personally…I'd have killed him already." Leaning into towards the lens, "he'll do anything to get rid of you… He'll entrap you and so will she…be careful Eric and remember there are only two people in this world who love you no matter what. Don't lose sight of that…because…if you do, you won't only lose someone you love but you'll lose a part of yourself." Her eyes began to lighten again, like the night blind on a window was raising letting in the light of day again, ". Don't neglect your duty for desire… no blonde, semi fey waitress named Sookie Stackhouse is worth giving leave of over a hundred years of history." She blinked erratically, "just remember your _true _love Eric, and don't hurt her."_

"Is she warning you…? How could she? She's…" Pam span in her maker's lap. "She's warning you about everything… about Bill, about Sookie, Nan, about the bitches of Shreveport...about us. Did you see this before you went to see Bill that night?"

Eric nodded, "I can't remember but I imagine so…"

"Why didn't you listen?" Pam asked weakly.

"Because I didn't mind my arrogance… I wanted one over on Bill."

"_I wish I could be with you to help with what's coming…but know, I'll have my eyes on you, doing what I can… influencing those around you." She closed her eyes with force, as though her head gave her immense pain, before smiling sweetly into the camera. "Just say safe…" She flicked her eyes open the eyes glowing, "And give her a kiss from me…" _

Eric kissed the back of Pam's head, as she watched her child smile, Pam feeling a surge of happiness.

"_Until you rub the lamp again o'great one." She winked with great effort._

_Click._


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"_It's strange, people, vampires say that time just flies by, you blink and a decade slips from underneath you… I guess that's true in many ways, I'm mean… I'm technically eighty now…" Arya chortled to herself, the dimples in her cheeks deepening. "It's so hard to think that I was born in 1928, a time long enough ago that people speak of it in terms of vintage clothing. It only feels like yesterday that I saw Pam in the gardens… my angel of death…God,1945." casting her eyes off screen she contemplated. "Yet being separated from a part of yourself can tend to drag on without reprieve or mercy." Gazing in the camera, "But enough of the downers…" She smiled, "It's nearly 2010 only two more years and…"The smile widened, "I'll be home… So until then take care old man, don't be stupid, one blonde is enough for you. Keep her safe…" Click._

"One blonde is enough for you." Pam smiled at the newly blank screen, "way to drop a hint…" She said out into the atmosphere, longing that somehow it might land at her child's ear, removing the CD from the drive. Since they'd arrived home, Eric had left Pam alone with the trunk of messages, something which Pam greatly appreciated; she'd watched them for the past twenty four hours, not wishing to stop the flow of her progenies words not even for the sake of not getting the bleeds. Bending forward she wiped at her nose with a cotton tissue, searching through the small remaining pile of disks, "September 2009…" tossing aside the ones she'd already watched further down the dishevelled bed. "Ahaa…"

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Eric stood head leaning with his head on the other side of the closed door.

"Enter" Pam called her accent sounding more English than Eric had heard in a while, certain words always threw Pam back into her homelands tone.

Opening the door slightly, Eric slipped through a hand holding a cocktail glass, "Venetian virgin, AB- with a splash of O..?" The door opened wide, revealing Pam.

"Where did you find V-V-ABneg-O?" Pam asked, eyes wide with anticipation of her favourite drink.

"It wasn't easy, but it you pay the right price" He looked at Pam's face and neck, taking in the stained red skin. "Have you been crying…?" Pam shook her head looming nearer to the glass, "You didn't sleep…"

"No I was to…" She smiled, rolling her eyes at Eric's concern, "it's only the bleeds…" Pam bent forward, sniffing at the glass, the smell was delightful. "Why what have you done?"Her eyes flicking up to meet Eric's.

"Nothing…" He smiled, "I know it's your favourite so I ordered a batch for Arya's return." Eric said slipping the glass into Pam's grasp, "nothing sinister, I swear." Pam's eyebrow heightened, "You're awfully suspicious Pam."

"In recent times, suspicion is natural…" She said walking back into her room, taking a sip of her cocktail. Revelling in the taste, she could barely remember the last time she drank Venetian blood. Casting a look back over her shoulder she winked at Eric who still stood in the door way, "Thank you, it's delicious… Eric, don't just linger in the doorway, come in here…" Stepping over the threshold he closed the door behind him. "What have you got?"

"Nun."

"Eric not again…" Pam's eyes fixed on her maker.

"It was offered."

"Glamour'd."

"I don't know what you mean…" Eric said a wicked glint flickering in his eye as he took a sip of it holy blood. "Mmm… läckra."

Pam rolled her eyes as she placed her glass on her 1950s glam dressing table, sitting in front of it she brushed her hair gazing at herself in the mirror. The last time Eric had had nun, he'd almost been lynched. Admittedly he would have deserved it if he'd been caught, he'd sat in a small chapel in Rome drinking a vast quantity of nun blood from a font. Pam giggled, at the image of the two of them running through the little cobbled alleyways, avoiding the police and numerous members of the clergy, the two of them laughing hysterically as they went. A swell of happiness filled Pam her relationship with Eric had seemed so untouchable, unbreakable even back then, in simpler times where vampires were vampires and human's food. Her memory urged Pam to forget the past months and just…

"I don't want you to forgive me straight away…" Eric said placing his hands either side of Pam's shoulders, kissing the top of her head. "I want to earn it…" Releasing his grasp on her he smiled into the mirror, he knew it would take time for Pam to let go of what had happened; and he was fine with that. "It's a big day tomorrow you should get some rest… actually I suggest you get some rest." Eric said turning back toward the door.

"Eric…" Pam span in her seat, "don't leave, not right away…" Eric smiled at the wall.

"I'm just going to get your present…"

"Present..?" Pam asked curiously as Eric quickly exited and re-entered the room with a gift wrapped box.

"Every woman needs them to put their best foot forward into their future…" He flew forward kneeling in front of Pam, placing the pink and white striped covered box with a neatly tied golden bow, on to her lap. Pam looked at him with expectant blue eyes, glittering like sunlight on the northern oceans of his childhood. "Go on…" She smiled broadly, untying the bow quickly she tossed it aside, digging her fingers into the side folds, she stopped closing her eyes in an attempt to control her excitement at the thought of what could be in her hands. "Don't wait on courtesy Pam."

Tearing at the paper senselessly it revealed a black box with white writing scribed on top. "Alexander McQueen?" She exclaimed in somewhat disbelief, taking one of the shoes in her hands she smiled like a mother looking at her child for the first time, full of glee. Pam couldn't believe her eyes, stroking a finger down the curve of the shoe, she took in the rich golden tones and the attention to detail on the decorative leaves. Looking up at her maker her eyebrow questioned once again.

"I haven't done anything."

"I didn't say anything…"

"You didn't have to, that…" he mirrored her previous eyebrow movement, noticing Pam smirk with amusement, hugging the shoe into her chest. "Are you happy?"

"Too happy…" a look of worry passing over her face.

"Why are you worried?"Placing the shoe back in its box Pam stood, walking the short distance to her bed, "not trying the shoes on…first sign of the apocalypse."

Pam cast him a look of distaste over her shoulder, removing an earring, "We're happy… in the last… two years, the track record for long lying happiness is about a week or two…"

"But nothing that has happened will ever happen again. We are stronger now than we have ever been, a united front…" Eric said lounging down onto the chaise-long, "and when Arya returns we shall be one very, very strong united front…"

A silence befell the bedroom as Pam considered Eric's words. Under normal circumstances they were strong together and apart, but… "You're right…" she smiled laying her earrings on the nightstand.

Eric looked at Pam with curious eyes, gazing over the whole of her anatomy, "Have you done something? To yourself? New…" It wasn't her hair that was still blonde and straight, it wasn't makeup for she was wearing none, clothes.

"I've been moon bathing."

Eric felt his eyes meet and cross, "What..? Moon…"

"Moon bathing…It's a trick Arya taught me…"

"What does it do…?"

"The same thing that sunbathing achieves…"

Eric squinted his eyes, eyebrow raising slightly, "Burns _you_ to a crisp?"

"No…" Pam rolled her eyes, "it makes your skin glow. Arya's grandfather told her that the moon holds a healing power, the rays cleanse your skin of all impurities… making it whiter and more luminescent. Don't you remember an era bearing the belief the lighter the skin the greater the power?"

"Yes during the Renaissance."

"Who says it can't apply now..?" Pam smirked, sitting back in amongst the bed's covers. "You should try it…"

Eric laid back on to the form hugging chaise long, the thought of tomorrow playing on his mind. "She's going to kill me."

"What?"

Sitting up Eric hooked an arm over the bottom board of Pam's magnificent four poster bed. "Arya, she's going to kill me…"

Pam's eyebrows furrowed her mouth pursing, "If the videos are anything to go by, she won't be happy with you." Internally, Pam smirked at the protective nature of her progeny; Arya wasn't one to hold back on her feelings. "Understandably if she could feel everything we've been feeling; but kill you Eric? She wouldn't…"Eric smiled, "but maim or seriously injure, possibly…" Pam smiled. Sitting in the silence of their large home the two vampires looked at each other with glisteningly playful eyes, both thinking about what Pam had just said as they took a drink of their blood cocktails. Looking down at his lap Eric shock his head in amusement, Pam was right Arya wouldn't kill him. He glanced at Pam, combusting into a fit of laughter.

Holding out her arm, glass in hand Pam spoke through her laughs, "expect the unexpected…"

Clink.

"Expect the unexpected…" Eric echoed, touching his glass to Pam's.

"Tell me a tale."

"About?"

"Her." Pam said leaning back into the pillows.

"Shouldn't you be telling me about her?"

"You have memories of a relationship I have yet to be a part of…" Eric thought to himself, looking suspiciously hesitant to share. "Have you two…"

"Yes" Eric's eyes glittered at the numerous memories of their nights spent together.

"Did she…"

"Yes…"

"Do you even know what I was asking about?"

"Yes. The answers are still yes and yes." Eric smirked at a smiling Pam. "Surprisingly, most of the best memories weren't situated in bed…that was something else all together. She's a fascinating little thing, your child…" Pam smiled in towards her chest, "She's one of those people who are extremely complex, she's open but she doesn't give a lot out… She's a contradiction…and giant question mark. She's…"

"Indefinable." Pam interjected.

Eric nodded, "too true… hmmm. One of my favourite memories was something and nothing. She didn't even say a word," Eric looked into his mind watching the scene unfold as though it was before his eyes right there and then. "She didn't know I was coming, her house keeper let me in, so I went up stairs and sat on her bed and waited. She had just had a bath and smelt like vanilla… As she walked into the room clad in a viridian coloured Victorian night coat that had gold flowers embroidered all over it, rubbing her hair frantically with a towel." Eric leapt over the bottom board and onto the bed, "She was cursing her hair for not doing as she wished, instantaneously reminding me of you," Pam smirked, "apparently it had curled far too much for her liking and it was only when she flicked her head upwards that she saw me. It didn't seem to alarm her that I just appeared on her bed, she seemed completely un-vexed, she just smiled merrily and threw the towel on the chair by the bathroom door; that was before she stretched out her limbs elongating herself. She laughed because she knew I was admiring her. I can just remember thinking then, it must have been breath taking to see her breathe, she looked so eerily feminine and fragile as a vampire, I could only imagine how wonderful she looked with the fragility of human life in her." Pam beamed at Eric, with every word he said, she could feel his love for Arya radiate inside her, Eric smiled at Pam. "Come to think of it, she basked in the moons rays that night, sitting in the window brushing her hair. I've never seen anyone's skin glow like hers that night, until now…" Eric took Pam's hand in his, looking over her clear porcelain skin. "She reminds me so much of you…just shorter and not blonde."

"She's nicer and sweet too…"

"I don't know, cross her or hurt someone she cares for and it's like signing your own death warrant, but you both have big hearts, which as your maker and grand maker I am allowed to tell you isn't always a good thing to have. Although, when it's just us, I like it."

"Oh flatterer…"

They grinned at each other, Eric tapping his other hand on top of Pam's, "You're turn. Tell me a story…"

Pam smirked to herself, running a hand through the top of her hair. "She bought me a toy store."

Eric grimaced, "Why? You hate children…"

"I thought the same thing…" She laughed, "We were in New York, and she stopped on the sidewalk outside this bustling children infested store, filled with stuffed bears and all those kind of things brats like. I stood there staring at her, at the store, back at her thinking, what in the hell is going through this child's mind, surely she doesn't like this stuff and sure enough she reached into the pocket of the most amazing Scarlett coat I have ever seen to this day, and fished out a set of large gangling keys." Pam threw her hands in the air, "I looked at her like she'd grown three heads, she basically had drag me kicking and screaming through the doors." Eric laughed at the image of Arya pulling Pam literally kicking and screaming into the shop by her feet. "She seemed to enjoy being in the store, looking around smiling at everything, including the…" Pam indicated a height of a child, Pam's face contorted in disgust, "She even touched one…" Eric chortled, "disgusting… but the mother seemed very appreciative…" Pam smiled with glee, "and then it hit me… she'd bought the shop for me to shop…"

"For toys?" Eric asked confused.

"I suppose in some way, yes… She, we called it Pam's MILF-atorium… I could shop for women whilst making an income. She was always thinking about me." Turning her head to the side Pam blinked her eyes smiling at the hilarity that day had caused.

"And she'll be here…tomorrow." Pam nodded.

Tomorrow she'd be home.

…**..**

**Hello. It's been a while…sorry. I lost my notebook, clever I know but it has been found and I will type them up as soon as possible. Hope you enjoy.**

**Läckra – Swedish- Delicious.**

**And these are the shoes Eric gets for Pam ****./imgres?q=alexander+mcqueen+shoes+2011+gold+leaf&um=1&hl=en&authuser=0&biw=1024&bih=509&tbm=isch&tbnid=Ox3GA2CAD0ST2M:&imgrefurl=.org/page/162/&docid=TF5ze1WQPJxXKM&imgurl=.&w=250&h=250&ei=F8z7TuWWBIbMhAeGlr2gBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=633&vpy=120&dur=785&hovh=200&hovw=200&tx=73&ty=132&sig=105259889975286980071&page=3&tbnh=129&tbnw=128&start=24&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:24**


	23. Chapter 23

**Slightly different from usual, introducing Jessica in, she's the only character I thought could help integrate Arya properly. Hope you like, because I have more ideas for these two further down the line.**

**BTW…Sam turns up too.**

Chapter 23

"Three pitchers, a bowl of cheese fries and a bottle of ketchup, anything else I can get for y'all?" Jessica asked the patrons at the table, three assholes who came in every Wednesday at seven.

"I'll take your phone number." The thick set, long haired one said.

"Dude, I know your dressed as a donkey but I didn't realise you were that much of a delusional ass." His friend slapped the back of his head, winking at Jessica, "But I'll take your number cutie…"

Shaking her head in disbelief, "I had this friend in church, she was a bit of a slut, but she gave me a bit of advice that I live by…"

"Oh yeah what's that?" the guy leaned forward, his eyes lighting at the word slut.

"Don't date or do a guy, who wears more eyeliner than you, it normally means they're gay." Picking up her tray, Jessica smiled, walking away from the table. It had been a long night and they'd picked the wrong time to be vulgar.

"It's Halloween, it's a costume…I'm meant to be Jack Sparrow!" Idiot two yelled.

"Man, she beat you down…"

Holding her hand over her mouth in disbelief that she, Jessica, had just slammed someone, "I've been spending too much time around Pam." She told herself, placing her tray on top of the bar.

"Those boys harassing you again…?" Sam asked brushing a hand through his dishevelled hair, his cheeks rosy with the heat of working in a cowboy costume. Halloween was always a busy night between 6pm to 10pm for Merlottes bar and Grill, it was the pre-drinking and partying venue before Fangtasia's Halloween ball.

"Nothing I can't handle." She smiled at Sam sweetly.

"Remember deep breathes…"

"Sam…I'm not going to hurt anyone, it's not worth my life…" Jessica said, picking up a tray of drinks for another table, turning away with the order. Although Sam knew he could trust her but Jessica was a vampire after all.

…..

"Excuse me…" Brushing her way through the crowd of people waiting for the bar, Jessica wished the night to be done aleady. "Here you go…" laying napkins in front of the already well inebriated couple, she placed the drinks on top carefully, "Is that all for now?"

"What have you come as..?" The female dressed as a playboy bunny asked, giggling to herself.

"I came as myself…" Jessica retort honestly.

"You came as a Merlotte's waitress… That's not very creative…" Her man friend added.

"No…I came as me…" without thinking Jessica let out her fangs, alarming the couple further back in their seats, "A vampire… the best Halloween get up created…and so much cheaper these days." Turning away Jessica smiled a fang filled smile before retracting them back into the hiding place.

"Order UP!" Lafyette's voice roared over the top of the crowd.

"Is it mine..?"

"Nah sugar it's for t'other red head up in here… Where she at!"

"ARLENE!"

Fighting her way through the crowd, "What?"

"Order UP!" Lafyette shouted again.

"O'right, o'right, I'm coming, it's difficult you know, all you got'a do is stand in front of a cooker and make shit!"

"Bitch… don't shout at me, just hurry up and get your skinny white ass over here before my burgers get cold..."Bang. Bang. He said hitting the spatula on the pass. "Order up!"

Arlene looked at Jessica as she off loaded a tray of drinks, "What he say..?"

Jessica shrugged, running towards the pass, "I'll take it to her, number…?"

"Nine…" Sliding to more plates up onto the pass, "And these are yours, table twenty… Order up!"Lafyette smirked over his shoulder at Jessica, "Go for it boo…"

Balancing the tray with her two on one arm, Jessica pick up Arlene's order, running to her a vamp speed. "Here."

"Arggh! How the hell do you do that?" Arlene held her chest alarmed by Jessica's sudden arrival by her side.

"Table nine… Go…"

"All right, all right… Jeez, you're not m'mom…" Arlene bit her Southern accent emphasising her displeasure at being told what to do.

"Thank god," rolling her eyes Jessica started to her table, "you're welcome by the way…" winding past people Jessica came upon her table, "Veggie burger, no mayo…Beef burger with pickles. Hope you enjoy…"

Turning round, Jessica stood still for a moment taking a moment for calm. Listening to the hustle and bustle of the club was relatively soothing when you didn't see the activity.

"Wit Woooo!"

"Wit, Wit Woo…Hey good looking."

"Ahoooo!"

'Poor person' Jessica thought to herself, whoever had the attention of the jerks down the end of the bar had her sympathy. The room became quieter… as though someone had just turned the volume down. Flicking her eyes open, Jessica looked around the room looking for the focus of all the noise and now quiet.

All eyes were fixed on a girl, a very pretty, perfect looking girl, who walking Jessica's direction. The girl appeared to float, looking ethereal in every way; her posture was that of a ballet dancer, straight, elegant and graceful. She was stylish, dressed in a deep purple dress, her neck draped with a simple gold necklace and a killer pair of electric blue heels hugging her feet. 'Why can't I dress like that..?' Jessica asked herself. As she approached, she seemed to grow younger looking; she looked about Jessica's age, an idea which excited the local vampire who looked on in admiration. Her very dark auburn hair cascaded down her back in tosselled waves complementing her porcelain skin; she didn't seem fazed by all the attention it was almost as though she didn't even notice all the attention she was getting. She couldn't be human. "Wow…" Jessica breathed out as the girl slipped into one of the only empty booths in her section.

"JESSICA!" Sam shouted breaking her out of her stupor the bars volume rising gradually.

"Yeah I'm coming…" She said casting a look in the girl's direction before bounding back towards the bar.

"Where were you then?" Sam asked looking at Jessica with curious eyes.

"Sorry…I had to take a breather…Not literally, I just needed a minute."

"You can take a break…"

"No I'm fine… I'll work until my break is due…" Loading a bunch of drinks onto a tray.

"That's in five minutes…" Sam wiped down the bar as talked, "You…"

"I'll do this, take the new girls order, complete that and then I'll take my half hour…" Jessica said as she walked away once more. "What number..?

"23!"

Racing to the table cleared the tray as quick as possible, "anything else? No. Good. Have a great night." Turning from the table with the tray clutched to her chest, she stole a glance to the table, the girl was sat reading a menu, effortless for the stupidest of people but she made it look a whole new level. Tossing the tray into a storage wrack, her legs propelled her to the table of much curiosity, the speed making her pump into it a little. Looking down at the girl who's eyes seemed to glitter like the green aquamarine oceans in the holiday brochures, her face was doll like, large eyes, small nose, dimples, rose shaped mouth. "Hi." Jessica blurted, louder than she'd planned, her stomach tossing as she spoke, the girl was a vampire. "I'm Jessica, I'll be your waitress tonight. What can I get you?" Her voice cracking a little, 'wise up Jessica, she's just a person…' Jess scolded herself mentally.

"An orange juice, please." The girl smiled, the Southern accent had a unfamiliar twang to Jessica's ear.

"Really? Are you sure… we do a range of Tru…" Jessica looked at the girl who, gazed back with the pools of watery calmness, "Orange Juice, coming right up." Bobbing on the spot, Jessica smiled innately for a moment, before turning on her heal back towards the bar.

.

"FANGTASIA!" A group of guys and women shouted from down the end of the bar, "LET'S PARTY!"

As the crowed slowly disappeared out the door, Jessica walked freely back to the bar.

.

"Vampire, right?" Sam asked

"What? Uh yeah, but not a normal one, she wants an orange juice." Jessica bit her lip, both she and Sam casting her eyes over her shoulder towards the girl with no name.

"Do you drink juice?" Sam asked, a look of confusion crossing and contorting his face, as he filled a tumbler with the sweet liquid.

"No…" Spinning her head back to look at her boss, "not since before Bill made me…" Jessica felt curiosity bubble inside her, longing to turn her back to look at the girl shaped question mark sitting in a booth at the far left of the bar. "Can I take my break…"

"You can finish for the night if you want… it's going to be quiet now, they're all heading to Fangtasia." Sam rolled his eyes, he didn't see the appeal of the place. Sliding the glass into Jessica's hand, and placing a warmed TrueBlood on the bar. "You should go to that you know, it's the one night that Vampires are oober cool…"

"Did you just say oober?" Jessica shook her head, "Are you serious though?

"Yeah take that to the girl, take five, clear up and go be eternally young…" Sam said as he disappeared into the back. The bar was dead, only a few of the old patrons remained.

"I do need a night out…"She told herself, smiling at the bar.

Within moments Jessica was back at the table, orange juice in one hand, her Trueblood in her apron pocket "here you go…" laying down a napkin she placed the drink on top, not taking her eyes off the girl for a moment. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No." The girl looked up at Jessica with friendly eyes, smiling slightly.

Nodding her head in acceptance, Jessica turned away. 'Just ask…'

"Would you like to sit down?" The girl's voice asked politely as though she'd just read Jessica's mind, her smiling at her feet, Jessica turned back to face the girl.

"Sure…" Jessica nodded her head bashfully; removing the drink from her apron she bounced into the adjacent side of the booth to the girl who seemed to command her attention. For a moment they sat looking at each other, a rather long fidgety moment on Jessica's part. "I'm Jessica…"

"You said earlier…"

Jessica laughed nervously, 'why are you being like this?' she asked herself, 'she's just a vampire. Why am I being like this?" Jessica's stomach flipped, butterflies flying as she gazed upon the doll like face, a direct view of her was even more angelic than the previous glances had suggested her to be, she looked so youthful and fragile. 'Definitely about my age…'

"You're staring…"

"Oh sorry…" Jessica turned her head to the side, feeling embarrassed at her behaviour.

"It's ok…" She girl smiled, her face made friendlier by her dimples in each cheek, "haven't you met people like you before?"

"Of course, there are loads around these parts, but not someone who looks my age… They're all older, older vampires who were older than twenty-five in life… You're a vampire though right?"

The girl nodded, "yes, very much so…"

"But you're not the normal vampire…" The girl's eyes widened, her eyebrow growing in height giving Jessica a strange sense of déjà vu with another vampire she knew. "Oh, jeez…I…I didn't mean you're not normal… I mean you look normal, girl next door and everything…but you have something different about you…" the girl's face bore no expression making Jessica's anxiety rise, "don't you..? Oh god… open mouth insert foot." Jessica moved awkwardly in her seat, look up at the ceiling wishing it would open up and suck her in.

"You're fairly new, huh?" The girl smiled at Jess with compassion, Jessica nodded.

"It's that obvious…?"

"Just a tad…" she chortled, "we all go through the antsy period, the jitters will leave completely after the first decade."

"Decade..?"Jessica blurted.

"Kidding..." the girl smirked.

"Why how old are you?" Jessica asked, flicking her eyes down from the ceiling.

"I'm not that old but I'm considerably older than you." Jessica gazed at the girl with greater curiosity; bending in towards the table the girl beckoned the red head with a red painted finger and whispered, "84".

"84!" Jessica exclaimed in disbelief. "Sorry that was really loud wasn't it…?"

"I don't think people in China heard you." Leaning back into the cushion backed booth, she looked at her iPhone with disappointed eyes.

"Do you actually drink that…?" Jessica asked, motioning to the orange juice.

"No… I just like the smell…" She looked up, smirking, "Do you really drink that?" She said pointing at the red bottle on the table, looking at it with great distaste.

"Only when I have to…" Jessica opened the cap, the warm liquid leaking out the stale, metallic smell. "Everything Vampire related is really restricted around here…"

"Especially when you're the King of Louisiana's kid…"Jessica's eyes widened, "You were in the Vampire Chronicle… all the kings and queens of Louisiana, with their progenies."

Jessica remembered the photoshoot, "Oh yeah, right…" Taking a sip of her drink, she winced in disgust.

"It smells like metallic sick…"

"At least it has a pretty bottle…"

"Mmm… tastes like nickels but looks great."

Jessica laughed at the girl's displeasure, screwing the top back on. It was nice to talk to someone who at least looked like a teenager, without the giant 'I am older hear me roar' chip on their shoulder.

"Is there anywhere to eat around here..?" She asked, realising the irony behind her question.

"Nowhere for Vampires… everything is all but illegal around here since Russell Edgington recreated 'Alien' on live TV." Jessica rolled her eyes. "Oh…but there is Fangtasia…"

"That bar everyone's going to…?"

"Yeah it's a Vampire bar out in Shreveport, about twenty minutes away from here; they're having a masked ball tonight because it's Halloween. There are contracted donors there that you could drink from…" The girl rolled her eyes, "It's run by two Vampires, Eric and his progeny Pam," Jessica noticed the girls eyes lightened, and her posture change, "and there's this other guy called Chow, he's like Chinese or…maybe he's Japanese…" Jessica pondered.

"Is it any good?"

"It's normally got quite a good atmosphere, according to Pam…it's pretty stereotypical, dark red and black, gothic looking but that's what the fangbanger's and tourists like. I don't think it's all that bad."

The girl tapped her nails on the table, "How do you get to Fangtasia from here?

"Why do you have a car?"

"Yes… outside…"

Jessica felt a surge of energy pass through her veins, her vampire instincts urging her to get to know new girl, Jessica smiled her eyes wild with the need to give in. "Well I was thinking of going to the party…maybe we could go together, I can introduce you to people."

The girl smiled and equally wicked toothy smile, "didn't your parents ever tell you to get in cars with strangers?"

"Yes… but they also that if I had sex before marriage my soul would burn in hell for eternity…"

"Hardcore…"

Jessica nodded her head, looking down at the table she considered her proposal, "If you don't want to I'll understand."

"All right… grab your stuff…"

"Oh I can't come right away I have to clean up…" Jessica looked out at the bar, "but I won't be long."

"Cleaning…on Halloween?" Looking round the corner of the booth, the girl cast a look over at Sam, behind the bar. "Let me deal with the puppy…" Sliding out of the booth, the girl arranged her dress into a more pleasing state, smiling at Jessica as she started toward the bar.

"What are you…?" Rushing to the girl's side at the bar, Jessica smiled at Sam.

"How much was my order…?" She asked her cheekbones rising higher and higher as she smiled a very feminine smile.

"$1.78…"

Reaching into the small gold leaf covered purse Jessica had failed to notice, she pulled out a twenty, "The rest can go as a tip… Your staff, are very friendly." She smiled again, laying the note in Sam's palm.

"I'm glad to hear it…" He smirked back, even though she seemed perfectly lovely something about a kind, polite vampire unnerved Sam. "Jess if you want to get to that party you better get those tables done."

"Yeah of course…" Looking at the girl Jessica shrugged, reaching for the box of cleaning materials on top of the bar, her arm was grasped by another hand.

"It's Sam right..?"

"Yeah…"

She let go of Jessica's arm gently, "Well Sam…" She smiled sweetly, her eye's fixing on his, "Jessica and I really need to get going… because there's that party you just mention and you know us girls we need a little bit of time to get ready before we go anywhere…"

Sam smiled, a look of drunkenness overcoming his face, "Yeah you do…"

Jessica looked on in amazement; she was glamouring a shifter, 'I know it's not impossible but…'

"So, we are just going to leave and you'll get the other red head to do the cleaning…"

"Yeah Arlene won't mind…"

"Awesome…" Breaking her fix on Sam, the girl turned her head to Jessica, "ready?" She smiled, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint.

"Uh-huh…" Rushing away Jessica grabbed her bag from behind the bar, "that was so cool…"

"Thank you…" the girl flicked her hair over her shoulder, "shall we…" starting to walk away, Jessica looked on, happiness radiating from her, 'this is going to be so fun', her mind leaping about in excitement. "Night Sam." Running in the direction of the door…

"Enjoy your night girls…" Shaking his head a little…

"Sam, where the hell is she going?" Arlene asked, as Jessica crossed the boundary into the car lot.

…

Woot, woot, woot.

"The owls are out…" Jessica said walking out into the dimly lit parking lot.

The night was cool, the moon full and glowing and iridescent light over the two girls…

"Do you want to change?" The girl asked, looking up at Jess as she unzipped the back of her dress.

Looking to the left Jessica saw the girl stood beside the most… "Holy cow you have an Audi…"

Looking around at her car the girl smiled, "is that what this is? I don't know… I sent one of the guys that work's in my bar in New Orleans to buy me a car he'd like…"

Blinking slowly at the information overload, Jessica stopped, "You have a bar…"

"3 in America, one in London and 3 boutiques, one in Paris, one in New York and one in Milan."

"Wow…" Running her hand down the curved lines of the ruby red Audi S5 sportback, Jessica wished she was… Looking the girl in the face, "What's your name? I just realised I haven't asked."

"Arya… Valentine O'Floinn…" Her accent took on an Irish lilt.

"Were you from Ireland, originally...?" Jessica asked coyly.

Arya nodded; "Yes… A long time ago…" her eyes sparkled, "so…do you need to change?"

Looking down at her Merlotte's uniform Jessica, threw her hands in the air, "I don't think it's the best Halloween costume…" Walking around to the back of her car, Arya popped the trunk… throwing her hair up into an elegantly messy bun, she began looking through the boot… "I suppose I could just go as me…"

"You were right you know the best costume is a vampire."

Jessica leant back against the car sighing, "I don't know… would it be a bit cliché?" Turning her head towards her new friend, Jessica saw the girl in a state of semi undress, "oh sorry…" snapping her head back in the other direction.

"I'm not naked; surely you have… lady bumps." Arya laughed to herself, adjusting her 50's underskirt, before unfolding a lavender dress out of the back, "I've got one or two costumes or just some really hot clothes, do you want to borrow something..?"

Jess turned her head quickly in surprise, "Really?" her insides jumping at the thrill of wearing such fine clothes, walking round to the trunk she looked into a tightly pack wonderland of colourful clothing. "Do you shop at Dillard's?"

Arya's eye brow rose, giving Jessica a shiver, déjà vu hitting her once more, this girl was a kinder version of Pam. "I don't even know what that is...' Shaking her head, "no I made most of these… but others are Chanel, I have a few pieces of Oscar De la Renta. Truth be told, Macy's would be jealous of the goodness that lays with this trunk. Hold this…" Handing Jessica the lavender dress, "what underwear do you have on?"

"What?"

Put a hand on her waistline, she sat into her hip, "Strapless, tshirt bra, balconette…" Looks down motioning to her body, "Corset…"

"Strapless… and it's uh… nude colour…" Arya smiled, looking into the trunk she dug around, finally pulling out a short deep crimson mullet dress, one of the most beautiful dresses Jessica had ever seen.

"This will look amazing on you…" Taking her own dress out of Jessica's hands Arya replace it quickly with the red. "Plus it's the colour of blood, which as vampires, we drink. Happy Halloween…"Tossing the lavender dress over the top of her corset and under skirt, it just seemed to land in its right place.

"How are you so…effortless?" Looking at the dress in her hands, "I'm practically a stranger and you're being so nice…"

"I'm not effortless… It takes time to think of what to wear and look half decent…" She said putting long tear drop earring into their designated holes, "as for being nice… you haven't done anything but be nice to me, treat those as you would like to be treated, yadah, yadah, yadah…" Arya smiled, "and you know where stuff is around here…" As she finished dressing herself, Arya stared at Jessica who stood smiling down at the fabric. "Are you actually going to put that on or stand there giving it a hug all night?"

"I can't do… take…"

"It's just like having a bikini on… Leave your shorts on, just take off your top. Nobodies around…and I'll put the dress on you…" Arya said slipping her feet into…

"Those shoes are beautiful…"

"Valentino…" She angled her foot back and forth, showing of the lace backed nude shoes, "and these go with your dress..." Laying a pair of mustard coloured platforms on the roof of the car, "and when that dress gets on you, this will grace your waist…" She held forward an antique gold, Celtic knot belt, "be careful with it though, it's a belt my grandmamma gave me when I turned 16…" Casting her eyes up to Jessica's she smiled, "Are you ready…?"

Mindlessly, Jessica removed her Merlotte's top before Arya had finished her sentence. Tossing the dress of soft chiffon over Jessica's head, removing the shorts from under the skirt and dressing her with all accessories in vampire speed, the motion making Jessica dizzy, "Woo… do you do this regularly…?"

"I'm a part time stylist…" Arya said closing the clasp on her belt, "there… just shake your hair out and we're ready to party…"

Arya smiled walking away from Jessica, smiling internally and externally Jessica, felt her stomach butterflies flutter in her stomach, she couldn't take her eyes off of the girl called Arya, who she thought was so beautiful, 'why do I feel like this…' Turning away from the eye view of the girl who caused her so much confusion, Jessica caught a glimpse of herself in the car window, 'Holy…" Staring closer into the window, Jessica admired her reflection, 'she's so good…" mentally congratulating Arya's talent for dressing. "Pam, one of the owners of Fangtasia I told you about earlier, is so going to love you…"

"Oh…" Arya smiled as she rearranged the contents of the trunk, "Why is that?"

"Well for one, she likes girls and your… two, she adores fashion especially shoes…and you are wearing the most amazing shoes…" Jessica said admiring the dress that hugged her figure as though it had been tailor made for just her, the gold belt finishing the dress just at the right point of her waist to create the perfect hourglass figure, taking in the simple dainty gold bracelet on her wrist. Smiling at her reflection with pleasure at the sight, reaching up her hands to her head she untangled the bun from the back of her head, letting the waves of fiery red constructed by the wraps of the band cascade down her back like lava down the back of a volcano.

Casting another glass at her reflection this time Jessica wasn't alone in her admiration, "You look red hot… awful pun intended." Arya smiled wickedly, her own hair once again flowing down her back. "Are you ready my new friend? Oh…don't forget the shoes… and a bag for your phone." They smiled at each other like the oldest of best friends, excitement flickering through both their eyes.

"Let's do this…" Jessica grabbed the shoes.

Extending her arm she pressed the button on her car key, unlocking the car with a 'pop'. "Get in cupcake…" Jessica smiled widely, opening the door and sliding in to the car that almost matched her dress.

Walking around the back of the car, Arya removed a bag from the roof as she slammed the trunk shut. Taking a deep, unnecessary breath of the cool October night air, she lifted her head to the sky gazing at the miniscule diamond like, sparkling stars above. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One."

Beep, beep. Beep, beep.

The wind blew through the trees, blowing the autumn leaves up and around her, a light beginning to glow from every living organism near. "Saoirse…" A rush of emotion swelled through the whole of her body as the love of decades long passed grew strength and spread. A presence she'd missed filling her soul once more. The hex breaking, the block falling…

"Pammmm…." She whispered into the wind.

October 31st -10: 30 pm

It was time to go home…

…

Saoirse – Irish meaning - Freedom

./imgres?q=valentino+shoes&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&authuser=0&biw=1024&bih=509&tbm=isch&tbnid=4HrCuNVK2yAtqM:&imgrefurl=.&docid=hQKdr85Tm5hMZM&imgurl=.&w=352&h=400&ei=LLb_TvCCFcOl8gO_p9nWAQ&z –Arya's magnificent shoes


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Are you ready?" Eric asked putting a hand on Pam's back.

"For Halloween? Or for her?"

"Either. Both."

Turning round to look at her maker, Pam nodded; looking around the office she contemplated their first congress in the office at Fangtasia, "are you?"Tonight was going to be hard on Eric.

Laying his two hands on her shoulders, "she'll only give me what I deserve…." He pulled her in closer to him placing a kiss on her forehead. They smiled in contentment for a moment, "To my duties as resident Dracula…"

"If only they knew you liked to have you hair brushed by your progeny…" Eric smirked. "And you're dressed as a human."

"So are you…"

"Hmmm…the novelty of the idea is starting to wear off…"

Turning back towards the mirror beside the door, Pam looked at her reflection, the deep blue Grecian gown made the newly moon bathed skin glow with the intensity that she wanted, her hair was unusually wavy and her eyes smoked making their light cool blue sparkle, not a corset in sight. "You look wonderful Pam… don't fret." Eric said opening the door, "Just think of the letter A."

Pam smiled, winking Eric left the office without another word.

For what seemed like forever Pam stood staring at herself without a purpose, not adjusting a thing, just standing thinking of the girl who would hopefully return tonight. Pam's un-beating heart skipped in her chest, the thought of her child giving it life for a moment. 'Dress like a human for an hour and you're telling yourself you're heart just did a beat. Grow a pair Pamela.' She chastised herself for her thoughts. 'Arya doesn't want a soppy, sentimental maker…' Did she? It had been decades, maybe she'd be different now, want someone different. 'I am her maker she will take me as I am and like it.' Pam couldn't comprehend an Arya far different from the one she left, more powerful perhaps, even more wise…likely, but they were too much alike, she and her child. If Pam hadn't changed a great deal, why would she have?

Pam thought of Arya and only Arya for an hour, before leaving the office and joining the events in the bar, but it was there in the memories that she felt most happy.

…..

"Arya?" Pam asked, staring at her child with great worry.

"Huh?"

"Are you all right?"

Arya sat unmoved, she had withdrawn from their evening meal, Pam only noticing when she'd heard the weary girls other hand hit the floor. Lifting her head Arya smiled at Pam, "I'm fine… I just wasn't hungry anymore." Dropping her eyes back to her lap, she stared at her hands concentrating upon the blood that stained them. Behind her eyes Arya relived the full truth of her making, hitting her like a falling wall. The blood, which was not her own but of the girl she had been feeding upon, had proved to be a catalyst, the memories exploding rapidly in her mind's eye. She remember the anger she felt running out of the doors into the woods, the happiness she felt being with Pam in the woods, the screams carried from the house on the wind, the bodies, the pools of blood. The hideous truths that passed through her step mother's lips, the spells she put on her step mother, the sharp pains in the stomach. All that blood.

"Arya?" Pam called, watching the expression on the brunettes face change, her fists clenching, her nails digging into her palms. Pam felt a ripple of anger shudder through her veins, bobbing like the pulse of the oceans waves under a boat.

"She tried to kill me Pam…" Arya stole a glance at her maker, a tear of anger running from her eye. Pam looked at her girl with compassion, "she killed me through her unsatisfible greed…" Wiping at her face Arya saw red on her hand, "What? Why am I bleeding?"

"Did I not tell you about that already? As a vampire we do cry water tears but…blood ones…"

"This is disgust…"Arya's eyes appearing to grow darker as an uneasy rage filled them, the green blue deepening. "I need to go there…" She looked up at a confused Pam. "I need to go back there…"

"You can't…"

"I need to…"

"Arya I told you that was one of the stipulations… of becoming a …"

"I know Pam…" Her voice became gruff.

"You can't go back, you're meant to be lost, taken, potentially dead." Pam said making her tone more stern, "Be satisfied with the curse you put upon her, it is driving her insane slowly…"

"She was insane anyway…"Arya growled standing suddenly, "I want her to die…" Pam could feel the anger swell, pulsing through Arya's veins, through their bond.

"You can't… Arya listen to me, as much as I wish we could hurt the bitch for hurting you. We cannot return to that house."

Arya retreated into herself, the cogs of her mind turning, "Why not? it's a perfect way. You have been dead decades, I am presumed dead, what could be more perfect an alibi." Pam smiled at her child, she admired the drive, the passion, she reminded her of Eric. "I need one night Pam one night to finish this…I want her to suffer like she made my mother, I want her to feel the sharp stings of six knife wounds to the stomach. I want to free my father of her darkness, free him. I want her to die…"

"I want that too…"

"Then let me have this one night, and then it will be done…" Arya almost whispered, such desperation filling her voice.

"It has only been a week… In a couple of days…"

"I wouldn't just want to kill her…"

Pam looked at her child who was struggling with the truth, "Arya…" Pam held her head in her hands, there was no doubt in her mind that Arya had every right to want that woman dead, that it would be fun to go wild but in the back of Pam's mind stood Eric, shaking his head in disapproval of his progeny giving into her own. Staring back at the ghost of Eric Northman, Pam told herself, 'I'm the maker now…I make the decisions for my child.' Pam walked toward a self calming Arya, taking her hand in her own Pam looked into the deep pools of green blue, "Fine… but not tonight, tomorrow…"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"$12.00" Pam held out a hand toward a drunken fangbanger who fumbled through his pockets.

"I've only got a twent…hick…twenties." The man said, thrusting a single twenty into Pam's palm.

"Then I'll take the extra eight dollars as compensation for having to deal with you." Closing the cash register with considerable force, "did you want something else..?" Pam glowered and the mindless looking man who continued to stare at her.

"No…" He swayed on the spot, "How old are you?"

"Why?" Pam's eyebrow spring up into its frequented position.

"I'm, just curious…"

"I'm a million."

"Really?" The guys face lighting up like a Christmas tree.

"No. Now go away…" Pam rolled her eyes, turning her back on the bumbling idiot. Casting her eyes up at the clock on the wall, '10.20', Pam told herself, only five minutes having passed since she'd last looked. An anxious but happy wave ricocheting back and forth through the length of her body, it seemed.

Buzz, Buzz. Buzz, Buzz.

Looking done at the counter behind the bar, Pam's phone was bouncing the screen a light with a new message, _"Eric – Vampires aren't meant to look or feel nervous Pam." _Looking to her left out from the bar she gazed through the crow, meeting the eyes of her enthroned maker. Clutching the phone in both her hands Pam wrote.

"_I am meant to be a human, it's all part of the act…"_ Click, sent. Keeping her eyes focused on Eric, she was met by a smirk.

Buzz. Tap. _"I've always told you to never quit the day job. Acting is not your forte Pam."_

Pam laughed silently, pursing her lips as to show a little displeasure for her on looking man. Texts during work were common practise between the two of them, usually it only consisted of chores and the odd game of 'Chow time' a game by which they would pick away a Chow until he snapped and or 'Kiss, Fuck, Kill'. After a while, no matter how busy the club was, human's and vampire's alike were as interesting as watching paint dry. _"You can be such dickhead Eric…kick a girl while she's down."_

Buzz.

"_At least I'm not a bitch…"_

"_At least I'm not a twunt." _Click, sent.

Casting a glance back at the stage, Pam laid eyes on a confused looking Eric, his brows furrowing deep into his nose as he analysed the text his fingers moving slowly across the screen of his iPhone.

"_Introducing a new word to your already vast vocabulary of slurs? What is a twunt?"_

"_Use your imagination…"_ Pam typed without looking at the screen or without taking her eyes off of Eric, watching his face contort as he rummaged through all the English swear words he'd accumulated over the centuries.

'Twunt…?' He asked himself. Twot, twit, twat… Wunt, sunt… _"PAM!"_

Turning her head away Pam let out a brief fit of laughter into the cover the clubs loud music, for it wasn't often she shocked Eric.

"What's so funny?"

"Apart from somebody actually wanting to be your maker? Nothing that involves you…" rolling her head back to the left, Pam smirked at an unimpressed Chow.

Chow narrowed his eyes, "Bitch…" placing a beer on the bar and the money in the register.

"Thank you…" Pam said, screwing her nose up as a sign of satisfaction.

Buzz. _"Be a good girl and stop winding up Chow, it's no fun if I can't join in. Come here…"_

Flicking her hair over her shoulder Pam smiled at Chow with an eerily friendly smile, "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to cut our little interaction short, my maker's calling…" Waving her phone as she passed by Chows shoulder, whispering in his ear, "Bug you later…"

Passing through the array of working bodies behind the bar, Pam noticed Ginger who was unusually on the other side. "Her drinks are on the house…" Pam told the man serving, tipping her head to Ginger.

The dance floor was crammed, the base of the blasting music pumping through it like the hot blood in the veins of the intoxicated, horny human's atop it. Pushing her way passed all the gyrating youths, Pam cast her eyes down at her phone, '10.25' the news causing an explosive burst a happy energy in her core as she stood in front of the stage.

Eric shook him his sheer Pam's rush hitting him through their bond, "Sit with me…" Eric extended a hand; taking it Pam let him guide her into the second large black chair on the staged area, "Calming thoughts Pam…"

"I am calm…" Pam said draping the skirt of her dress to show off her legs, "if you're going to accuse me of being anything, it should be impatience."

"Only a few more minutes until you find out…"

"Each minute feels like an hour," Placing her forearms on the arms of the chair, Pam turned her head towards Eric, "but I know good things come to those who wait." Reaching out a hand Eric tapped Pam's hand in encouragement making Pam smile into her lap.

"Aaargghhh!" A tipsy, pretty, blonde girl screamed in front of them, "Oh My GAWD! Oh my god, y'two are so beautiful…." The girl paused for breath, brushing her hair down, "I have come all tha'way from Kentucky to be here tonight… too see y'two."

Pam and Eric glanced at each other, eyebrows arched up in confusion to why the girl was talking to them.

"I've met every Vampire marker and progeny who has advo-cated that we all be friends… and oh my Miss…" She flipped through her book, "Miss. Swynford de Beaufort I would die to look like you…"

"Well sugar you kind of would…" Pam said as sweetly as she could muster, tilting her head to one side.

"Hahaha… you're funny too?" Pam shrugged, "Could I get a picture with y'all? Oh I don't have my camera…"

"Come on Pam…" Eric said lifting himself out of the seat, sauntering down onto the floor beside the girl who giggled insatiably.

"What?"

"We have a professional photographer here tonight… its Halloween Pam, we're dressed as human's, this is kind of thing human's do, right?" Eric addressed the young blonde, getting a nod in response but Pam remained unmoved. "After all she came all the way from Kentucky…" Eric mimicked the girl's Southern drawl, scrunching his nose just a little adding to the mockery.

Raising an eyebrow in disapproval Pam rolled her eyes, leaping from her seat she landed the other side of the girl, "Let's make this snappy shall we…" rearranging her dress into its right standing freefall.

"Ha…Snappy…I so get it…" The girl chortled to herself.

"Oh aren't you precious…" Pam commented her words ringing heavily with sarcasm, tossing the skirt of her dress outward. "Where's that photographer…?" Sending a wave of resentment to Eric as she gazed around.

Eric clicked his fingers, and out of the crowd appeared a specky teenager, "This young lady wishes to have a picture taken with us… click."

"If you'd just like to huddle a little…" The photographer asked nerves cracking his voice, standing at the centre the girl turned her head frantically from one side to the other looking at two of the prettiest vampires she met. Eric put an arm around the girls back he made her giggle, "Uh…m'am could you move in a little closer…"

"Not really…" Pam said looking at the distance between her and the girl, it was fractional maybe hand to elbows length away. Rolling his eyes, with the hand placed behind the girl's back, Eric caught hold of the back of Pam's dress, tugging gently enough not to rip with but forcefully enough to drag Pam in.

"That better?" Eric asked, holding Pam in place.

"Perf…Perfect…" The photographer eyed Pam with caution before setting the proper lighting on his camera. "Ready…"

"Yes…" the girl squeaked gleefully, smiling in preperation.

"As I'll ever be…" Pam muttered under her breathe, checking the skirt of her dress a final time before mustering the energy of a weak smile.

"You can find them on our website, .com, you can print as many as you wish for free, in the comforts of your own home." Eric whispered into the girl's ear.

"3, 2, 1, say Cheese…" SNAP! "It'll be on the site tomorrow Mr Northman."

Eric nodded, flicking his finger for the boy to leave, casting an eye over the reasonably cute girl beside him Eric consider the potential for getting her outback in the office, "Would you like a drink?" He said with a smile.

"Oh…haha..I'd love one…"

As she rolled her eyes at the sweetness of the girl stood beside her, Pam was overcome by a flood, a moment of distant mischief and happiness accompanied by a flash of warm light, shivering where she stood. 'What's the time…?" Turning slightly to her left her hair swung over her shoulders, casting her eyes up at the clock above the bar, '10:29...'

Eric looked at the side of Pam's head, after registering his child's earlier sudden movement, 'Here she comes…' Eric told himself, a smiled creeping at the corner of his mouth.

10.30.

A gust of warm air filled the two vampires with a long excellent wave of excitement and happiness, the breeze giving a flutter to their hair. As butterflies brushed softly against the inside of their stomachs, a warm light exuded from every living being in the room, it's sunny quality adding a comforting warmth of a summers day to the vampires skin.

"Paaammmm…" Her voice called on the random breeze.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Clambering into the driver's seat Arya smiled over at Jessica, as she fixed the belt on her black coat.

"Did you just see that?" Jessica asked looking out of her window.

"See what?"

"That… Flash of light..." Jessica said turning her face back to Arya.

"No, I didn't see anything…" Shaking her head Arya fixed her seat belt into place.

"I would have sworn I saw…" Jessica shook away the thought, frowning slightly, her hair tumbling over her shoulders.

Putting the key in the ignition the car roared to life with a delightful ease. Adjusting her rear view mirror Arya caught her own eyes. For the first time in the last three decades Arya felt the warmth she had missed so much, the presence of Pam in their bond. Her emotions danced inside her.

"Arya?" Jessica called noticing her new friend was lost in her memory, smiling at whatever was playing through her mind. "Arya..?" Her head flicking toward Jessica, she smiled.

"Sorry, were you saying something? I don't know where I went then…"

"Turn left out of the lot; carry on straight then turn left again, then right…"

"Ok… You might want to put your seat belt on, I drive fast…" Applying pressure to the accelerator, the car seemed to shoot out on to the road within seconds.

Click. Jessica shuffled under her belt, "when you say fast you mean fast…" her stomach slowly leaving her throat.

"Do you not drive fast?"

"Not as fast as you, but it's…" Jessica felt excitement swirl in her stomach, "it's good…" She said with a smirk.

"I like to pick up the pace in small towns… makes them seem less… boring." Arya said, turning the wheel left as Jessica had instructed.

"What did bring you to Bon Temp?" Jessica gazed out the window at the little shops that moved passed so very quickly, "It's not exactly a metropolis for vampires…"

Arya pulled a face in agreement, "no it really isn't…" Choosing her words carefully Arya turned right, "I'm kind of passing through, I'm hoping to catch up with friends around these parts, they're overdue a visit."

"Oh, how long has it been since you last saw each other? Second exit on the right."

"Must be about thirty years…" Arya said so matter of fact

Jessica's head snapped round gazing at Arya as she exclaimed in surprise, "Thirty years?"

"Give or take a few more."

"That's long than I've been alive…" Arya cast a look at Jessica who'd sunk back into her seat, sulking at the lack of age she'd lived compared to the brunette beside her.

"Believe me you're in some of your best years Jess, the first twenty are by far some of the best I had." She smiled at the red head, "but don't do everything at once because after fifty years of doing everything and anything you want the world gets a bit monotonous."

"Have you got any suggestions? My first three years have been more about staying alive around here than having fun… What did you do in your first twenty?"

Arya grinned, keeping her eyes on the road, "I spent my first thirty with my maker. We travelled over continents, screwing, laughing, and sometimes killing… I won't lie." Remembering all the things she and Pam had done together, sitting in a gondola in Venice drinking blood from the Venetian virgins, milf shopping in New York.

"Me and Bill don't do anything together, mainly because you can't do anything around here without getting permission from the AVL… Coast down this road the turn left… What's your maker like?"

Inside Arya the warmth of her nearness to Pam deepened and spread, "My maker, she's one of the best…"

"She?"

"Yes, she, my angel of life." Jessica smiled at the love she saw upon Arya's face as she thought of her maker. Her smile was infectious, her face mesmerising to anyone who looked upon it. Arya felt lightness over take her, as Pam sent pulses of care her way, "From the moment we saw each other we knew."

Curious Jessica turned in her seat slightly as to see Arya more clearly, "How did she come to make you?" She cast a look her way, Jessica watching the glint in the eye sparkle.

"I had been at a party at my grandparent's house in Dublin, Ireland…" the mention of the country prompting a lilt to return momentarily "and my… step mother started an argument at the dinner table in front of all the dignitaries, slandering my dead mothers name and myself publically whilst my father sat by and let it all happen." A dark look passed over her face, "my step mother was one of the vilest women to walk this earth, a woman consumed by greed and the thought that she deserved whatever she wished for in life. Dabbling in things that were above her power."

"Like what?"

"Magic…" Arya shot a glance at Jessica.

"Black magic?"

"The craft doesn't have a colour, it's the person who harnesses it that brings the colour influence. Dark soul, dark magic and she wasn't a natural witch, invoking spirits can be dangerous for people who have power let alone ones who have very little. Anyway, I went out into the gardens to escape it all and that's where I met Pa…her." Arya smirked, trying to cover up her idiocy, "She'd heard my cries and wandered into the gardens in search of the noise's origin. I didn't fear her for I knew what she was… she was surprised at that, apparently it was highly foolish of me." The two girls smiled at each other, "about half hour after we'd met my grandparents house was attacked by thugs," Jessica's eyes widened, "all at the bequest of my step mother. I ran back into the house leaving her in the wood but by the time I got in through the doors, they'd killed or seriously injured more than half of my family and friends, all for an elaborate cover up for my murder…"

"Why did she want you dead?"

"Money… It was always money, it was the reason why she killed my mother, the reason she married my father was all for the fortune. After my mother died my step mother believed that my mother's individual fortune of, pfft… twelve million would pass down to my father as her widower but not when the only living heir was still alive."

"So she killed you because she believed that after your death it would go to your father and in effect her?"

Arya nodded, "that's the size of it… crazy bitch, and she tried hard too… six stabs in the stomach." Jessica clenched her teeth at the thought, "but my future maker was standing amongst the trees. I gave myself to her without second thought." Arya smiled widely, her dimples ploughing deep into her cheeks in admiration for the memory of her maker, "she freed me from my prison, that angel with the long ethereal hair and the dark blue dress."

"That's so romantic…" Jessica said without engaging her brain, "sorry…"

"Why? I suppose it is in a warped kind of way."

Jessica frowned into her lap, "I was made as a punishment for Bill killing another Vampire. Turn right and pull into the parking lot on the left."

"Is the magister to thank for that?"

Jessica nodded, "although, now I'm kind of thankful, he and Bill kind of freed me to y'know. By making me Bill took away my from my dad's grasp, he can't hit me now and me and Bill are getting closer, he's a good maker."

Turning left into the lot, Arya parked the red car in front of the building with the large glowing red light, 'Fangtasia'. The pressure of the closeness to Pam overcame Arya, letting out a groaning ache.

"You okay?" Jessica asked Arya who clutched at her chest and stomach.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" She smiled reassuringly, quickly unfastening herself from her seat. "just really hungry… Shall we…" She said jumping out of the car, leaving Jessica looking out at her through the window. Taking a useless breathe Jessica saw how spontaneous she'd been, 'so exciting…' Leaping out of the car she took Arya by surprise. "Are you ready to party?" Jessica asked thrusting her arms in the air.

"You bet… but I just got a text off the girl running my boutique in New York, so I need to make a quick call." Arya smiled sweetly, walking round the front of the car toward Jess, "So why don't you go in and get us a drink of some kind, and hunt out the hottest people for an after party snack?" Her eyes glittered with mischievous, infectious energy.

Nodding enthusiastically Jessica began to walk away calling back, "I'll be by the bar…"

Smiling into the night in the general direction of the fading Jessica, Arya felt a shiver rumble through her body, Pam was sensing her. Dialling a phone Arya held it to her ear, tapping her fingers on her thighs.

Bring. Bring

…

Bring. Bring.

"Who's that?" Eric glanced over at his child.

"I don't know, number unknown…" Pam said looking down at her phone, "probably a crank call..." Bring. "If this is a prank call, just know I'll find out who you are and where you live…" Pam said making Eric smile as she rolling her eyes, the anxiety and the expectation of the night taking an effect on her mood.

Arya giggled, lowering her head toward the ground staring at her bashfully twisting foot, "Well I was going to open with trick or treat but you don't seem in the festive mood Pam…"

Pam's head flicked toward Eric, "Arya?"

Eric's eyes widened.

Arya smiled at the concrete building that held her maker's, "mmhmm… I'm underneath the stars," She lifted her head to the sky taking in the stars in the heavens.

Eric smiled as he looked at his child, who smiled from ear to ear gazing toward the door, "Where?"

"Think back and follow me…"

Beep…

"_Underneath the stars I'll meet you,_

_Underneath the stars I'll great you"_

"Do you hear that?" Pam looked at Eric, who looked confused, "Do you hear her singing?"

"No…" Eric said, squinting his eyes in an attempt to make his ears focus.

"_And there beneath the stars I'll leave you_,

_Before you go of your own free will_, _Go Gently"_

"I've…."

Whoosh!

Pam flew from her seat following the sweet voice. Banging her way through the crowd toward the door, "Hey Pam…Happy Halloween..!" Jessica said merrily as she walked through the door of Fangtasia.

"Whatever Cheeto, I go to go." Pam replied, disappearing out into the night.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"_Underneath the stars you met me  
>Underneath the stars you left me<br>I wonder if the stars regret me  
>At least you'll go of your own free will"<em>

Arya's voice filled Pam's head with the sweet melody of years past, her feet leading her round the back of Fangtastia. "Pammmm….." Arya's voice called on the breaze, looking up and around her Pam caught glimpse of black draped figure moving quickly in and amongst the trees of the wood ahead. "Come on Pammy…" Arya's laughter teased, Arya knew how much being called 'Pammy' irritated Pam always causing a reaction, usually ending with Pam playing a game of cat and mouse which, they both enjoyed immensely. Pam's senses heightened, the excitement of her child's playful nature relieving her previous worries completely.

"_Go gently…"_

"You always want to play when I'm wearing the most…" Pam removed her shoes, placing them in an empty beer crate, "impractical of dresses…" Pam called out into the atmosphere, gathering the skirt of her gown up into her hands, draping the length over her arm. "That's hardly playing fair…"

"So says the woman who taught me, playing fair was unnecessary work…"

Pam laughed, scaling the depth of the trees in a glance, rolling her shoulders back Pam smirked knowing Arya was watching, "Okay then, ready or not…here. I. COME!"

Whoosh.

"_Here beneath the stars I'm landing  
>And here beneath the stars not ending<br>Why on earth am I pretending?" _

Pam ran feeling the song give extra life to her feet, catching glimpses of Arya running through the trees Pam noticed the colour surrounding her lighten and a warm light growing as they ran further into the wood.

"We're nearly there, keep running…." Pam smiled at the voice that caught her ears attentions; her eye's catching sight a looming black fabric. Picking up the momentum Pam met its path, grasping the foreign matter, a coat; the familiar smell of Arya's perfume of preference filling Pam's nose with glee, Chanel No5.

"_I'm here again, the stars befriending  
>They come and go of their own free will…"<em>

Stumbling over a raised tree root, Pam caught her balance against a tree edging the large clearing. Looking around Pam admired the trees draped with delicate twinkling fairy lights, walking further into the clearing spinning as she went. The clearing glittered, the stars and the full moon in the open sky cast a beautiful glow over the picnic area made of a vast amount of pillows and, "A lake…" Pam gazed at it with disbelief; Arya had recreated their first meeting with sweet learnt extras.

"Not bad, huh?" Arya asked from within the darkness of the trees.

Pam smirked at her surroundings shrugging her shoulders, "If you're in to this kind of thing…" Looking around her, "Am I not allowed to see you for some reason?" her eyebrow rising in dissatisfaction for having to wait.Pam a wave of air float up and around her, the softness of lips touching her own momentarily, 'how did she get so fast she doesn't even blur?' Pam asked herself.

"I told you to come catch me…" Arya's voice danced around Pam, causing her to spin on the spot repeatedly trying to pin point Arya's location.

Pam smiled wickedly into the warming glowing forest, "I can catch you and I don't even need to move from right…"Pam dropped the skirt of her dress to the floor, "here."

"Ohhh… Like how?"

Placing a hand on her hip Pam sat into it comfortably, for the longest time imaginable Pam had thought of using such words to bring Arya home but had given into the lessons of the past, now though, she could. "Arya Morgana Valentine O'Floinn as your maker I command you to my side right… now."

A rush of air toward her face made Pam's hair flutter gently upward and out. "That's cheating…"

"Where are you?" Pam asked looking around her, she could feel Arya's nearness tingle in their bond but she was nowhere to be seen. A trill of laughter rang in Pam's ears, a sound so delightful it sounded like small chiming bells.

Crack! There was a shift of unseen movement bits of dust from the dry dirt floor floating upward.

"Reach out your hand…" Looking out and around once more, Pam questioned how stupid she'd look, "Reach out your hand Pam…no one else is here…" Extending her hand out in front of her, Pam felt soft material beneath her fingers, "grasp and pull down…" Arya said softly. Grasping the invisible fabric, Pam smiled as she pulled slowly downward it became white in Pam's hand, revealing the back of a dark chestnut head of hair. Inside Pam gasped as Arya's head turned toward her, she hadn't expected Arya to look any different but if it were possible she looked more beautiful in front of her than Pam's memory had given credit to.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder…" Arya smiled sweetly as she watched Pam's face lighten, untying the chord from around her neck, tossing it from her shoulders into an elegant puddle on the floor revealing the dress below that made Pam's stomach flip with sentiment.

Rolling her eyes at her enjoyment of the sentiment, "I don't remember telling you lavender, was my favourite colour." She smirked at the words she'd once used to tease Sookie.

Arya chortled, "I thought it would be fitting considering, you're in your colour…"

Looking down at her own dress Pam relived the night of Arya's making, they were dressed in these colours, the video played behind Pam's eyes as she watched her child dressed in the spectacular lavender dress spin to face her. In the grand scheme of things they hadn't changed one bit from that night, Pam was taller, slim, blonde, blue eyed and ethereal looking and Arya shorter, slim, dimpled cheeked, brunette, green aquamarine eyed and fairytale looking. For a few minutes they stood in silence each appreciating the sight of the other, filling them with indescribable joy, the height difference between them being the only thing stopping them being face to face.

Reaching out her arms Arya wrapped them around Pam's neck pulling her into a tight embrace; sliding her arms around Arya's back Pam pulled her in closer, holding her child as tight as was possible. Their blood growing hotter, their hearts warm, minds calm, their mutual soul singing.

"I've missed you…" Arya whispered into Pam's ear, burying her face into her shoulder. Placing a hand on the back of Arya's head, the familiar scent of lemon shampoo filling Pam's nostrils as she buried face within it. With fear of letting goes, Pam clutched her tighter not wanting Arya just be a hopeful illusion. "I'm not going to disappear…" Arya said with reassurance, rubbing her maker's back with comforting motion. Casting her eyes down the back of the girl in her arms Pam noticed Arya was standing on tip toes, sighing Pam released her hold, the two untangling themselves. Smiling sweetly Arya brushed a strand of hair out of Pam's mouth, "see I'm still here…" Arya felt tears well in her eyes as the combination of her own and Pam's feelings merged into a tsunami of emotion, feeling a tear tip over she looked up into the blue pools, laughing at the rim of dark red overtook Pam's lower lid.

"What is this?" They asked in complete unison.

"Pam, I'm sorry I…"

"You are not allowed to be sorry for anything… I made you leave." Laying a hand on Arya's cheek, "And we all know now…"

"Eric?" Her face contorted in a mix of anger and love.

"He has told me everything, as I have he and we're f…"

"Don't say you're fine when I know you're not…" a spark of anger passing over her usually tranquil face.

"We're on our way…" Pam said walking away toward the cushioned area, Arya following her with her eyes.

"If…"

"There can be no ifs." Pam cast a look over her shoulder, sending waves of calming energy to an increasingly passionately anger Arya. "It's happened and we are united once again, and we will bw stronger for this… Me, Eric and now you." Pam smiled.

"But what was the use of having the likes of me? If I am not around to protect you, both of you."

Turning to face her child, Pam smiled, she understood and appreciated Arya's loyalty and concern; and after watching all the hidden videos she understood that Arya had felt everything. "I know how you've felt; I've seen the videos…" Arya strolled toward Pam with an elegant saunter her body language questioning Pam's statement. "Eric showed them to me, the tapes and I know how I've felt for the past year or two and I'm sorry that you had to feel everything… I should have thought of you more being alone and coping with the bonds between the three of us. I'm sorry you had to worry, that you had to hurt yourself in an attempt to come to me and I can't tell you how sorry I am for the numerous times I called you name and retracted it over and over again." A tear ran down Pam's cheek, from watching the video's she'd come to realise that she hadn't been the only one suffering, she'd never intended to torture Arya with her retractable unbreakable calls through their bond.

"Don't be sorry…" Wiping away tear with her thumb, "I'm glad I was allowed to feel, it gave me a closeness to you, however unbearably one ended it was, I wouldn't change it… not even if I nearly did kill myself." She smirked at the countless times she was thrown across rooms, outdoor spaces and out of her car, cricking her neck in the memory of being thrown the glass patio doors. Sitting down on the blanket Arya tapped the free side in prompt for Pam. "If that hex I put on myself at Eric's orders hadn't been there I would have been able to have come when you called…" Arya's features turning hard momentarily, "and I tried, the amount of times I got thrown across rooms trying to break that damn spell…" Looking at Pam who had settled beside her she rolled her eyes, "it would seem that my magic is so strong that not even I could break it." She lounged back on her hands, her displeasure at her inability to break her own spell evident in her body language.

"You did what you could, you did help…" Pam smiled, "you tried to keep Eric from burning in the sun…"

Arya's head flopped toward Pam, "and it failed."

"Because of the distance Arya, Eric told me you did it until it started to weaken you…" Arya rolled her eyes once more, "and you put up the smoke screen for Edgington, helping us capture the bastard."

"Hardly impressive thought is it?"

"When it's from all the way in Texas? Yes and this praise, is coming from me… the great un-impressible Pam." Pam pulled a serious face that made Arya laugh.

"Yeah okay, whatever…" She laughed to herself, the sight a great pleasure to Pam.

Everything felt magical, as thought everything in that moment was invested to Pam's happiness. The wood glittered, the sky with its full moon shone, the lake sparkled and her child sat beside her laughing. For all the time they had known they'd spent apart, now here together in the wood, it was like they were never apart.

"How did those shots work out?" Arya asked curiously, her peripheral vision watching Pam's eyes instantaneously flick up and focus on her. "Come on you really think Grumpy could create something like that with just herbs and venom?"

Pam's eyes were wide, her face confused by the words leaving the mouth of, "You?"

"I had to help you somehow, if I couldn't be here the kill the bitches… I mean witches, the least I could do was give you your face back." Arya smiled broadly at a surprised Pam, "Sorry about the temples…"She gritted her thought at the thought of it.

'How could she?' Pam asked herself.

"I have my people…" Arya's said her eyebrows dancing playfully, "I sold them to Ludwig at a very reasonable price. I thought a little pain to give you back what was rightfully yours would be worth it." running a finger down Pam's cheek.

"Thank you…"

Arya's eyes widened, "Did you just say thank you?" Pam nodded, "You just said thank you…" Arya's mouth dropped open her mouth jokingly pretending to be flabbergasted, "you, Pamela Swynford De Beaufort, just said thank you…" Pam laughed, "thank you? Are you feeling alright?" Arya asked putting a hand to Pam's laughter shaking forehead, "You're feeling a bit clammy surely that's not a good sign when you're already dead… Thank y.." Pam put her hand over Arya's mouth, laughing emphatically, Arya's eyes smiling.

"They fucking hurt though…" Pam said through her laughter rubbing her temples in memory of the pain, removing her hand from Arya's mouth.

"I imagine they did… You can get revenge on the miserable dwarf, you only needed the two in temples, one in your lower back and one in each arm," Pam's eyebrow raised, her eyes narrowing, "she thought she knew best." Arya's eyebrow shot up, mirroring Pam, "I did try everything I could…"

"I don't doubt it…" Pam said getting to her feet, Pam looked out at the lake strolling toward it, she hadn't realised there was the beauty of this lake in the woodland behind Fangtasia; although woodlands and Pam weren't two things that usually came together very often, after all it was quite a ludicrous activity to hike through a wood considering her shoe collection. "How did you find this place?"

"Google maps…" Arya said with a sense of great logic, appearing beside her once more and laying her head on Pam's shoulder, "and I sent a location scout."

Pam laughed at her tone, Arya made it sound like the ordinary, sensible thing to do, "Of course you did…" laying her head down on top of her child's.

"I would have come myself but…" She shrugged, "until thirty minutes ago I was aloud within a hundred metres of you… He's very good though he was the location scout on those Felini films we saw in the 60s…"

They smiled at the water and silence befalling the surrounding area, the only noise to be heard was the crick of the crickets. Pam took an unnecessary breath of relief and comfort in the know that beside her stood the girl she'd worried for, for decades, she was safe and strong and unchanged. Their bond quiver with the relief of reunion, the contact which they'd both missed so much.

Closing her eyes to the world Arya concentrated on her connection with the woman beside her, 'I'm so glad to be home…' Arya said softly through the bond that tied them.

'I missed you…' Pam said back her own eyes closed and her mouth unmoved.

'I miss you too…' They smirked in unison.

"What about me?" A masculine voice rang loudly on the night air.


	28. Chapter 28

**It's a really short chapter; I've been crazy busy. Sorry for the errors in previous chapters with grammar and words and stuff, I've read back and wished I'd edited more thoroughly. Anyways, hope you're enjoying and thanks for reading. **

Chapter 28

"What about me?" Eric asked stepping into the moonlit clearing from his place in the shadows. Eric smirked at his children with pride, the sight of the two stood next to one another filled him with happiness, easing his guilt just a little. Flicking his eyes between the two women he saw a smile spread from Pam's eyes to her lips, feeling the waves of her euphoria engulf and strengthen his own. The air was charged with a high electric feeling, a warm light exuding from every living organism around them. "I see you still make things glow…" Eric said, fixing his eyes on his grand progeny's face, the familiarity of it making her already magnificent features even more mesmerizingly wondrous than he would have dared to remember. She was beautiful. Eric looked over her being with great concentration, her hair cascaded, rivalling his memory of the pre-Raphaelite women of his younger days, her body slender but womanly, her face was still as fragile as a porcelain doll, her eyes…

Eric swayed to his left a light headedness overtaking him as his eyes locked with Arya's, the feeling taking Eric back to memories of being a child on a ship on the stormy Nordic seas. There had always been a sparkle in Arya's eyes, a glint of mischievousness', a flicker of secrecy, a twinkle of happiness but this time Eric felt nothing. There was a strength, a connection in her stare, a glint, flickering like the stars in the night sky above them, but there was an emotional void that buried deep within him searching. _'You're not ready to let me in. That's fine._' Eric said through their bond, causing Arya to look away.

Eric looked out at the two women of his line, the two serene looking creatures whom he had hurt so very deeply. His relationship with his child was beginning to heal, the wounds of the past few months crusting over with what he hoped were permanent scabs; the years of good maker behaviour had given a slight grace to his actions in Pam's eyes. It was with Arya that his true feat lay… he knew that Arya would present a whole other apology tactic, the block in their connection making that very evident. For even though, their relationship was too governed by love and respect of elder maker and younger progeny there was no exceptions for Eric treating her maker, his child in the way that he had. Grand maker or no grand maker.

Between the three of them, the bond quivered erratically with over activity, a morse code of happiness, love, reassurance and remorse being tapped out periodically in that order, over and over again.

'_Let him in…'_ Pam voice caressed the inside of Arya's mind, as she felt her hand touch her shoulder. Unlike Eric, Pam could feel everything her child felt, Arya was unconsciously sending pumps of ferocious passion, love and frustration rippling through Pam's muscles. '_He wasn't our Eric then…he is now and he is sorry.'_ Pam ran a hand down her child's face. Although Pam enjoyed the concept of her little fire cracker ripping a few shreds off of Eric's ego, the reality of it vexed her just as much. Arya glanced up from the floor at Eric, who looked at his shoes before glancing up at Pam. For once in her relationship with her maker she was the one being calmed, the icey blue of Pam's eyes cooling the fire the roared within Arya, just slightly.

'_I'm fine…'_ Arya reassured a smile flickering at the corner of her mouth. Pam's eyebrow shot up, her eyes narrowing as she searched within they bond for any hostile feeling, instead a surprising calmness washed over her. _'See…'_ Arya smirked, winking playfully at her maker as she squeezed Pam's hand gently before letting it fall free. Closing her eyes briefly, Arya took an unnecessary breath of the night air as she turned to face Eric fully, straightening her posture into a non defensive state.

"Do I get an Arya embrace?" Eric asked cheekily, extending the olive branch of a hand.

Arya smirked radiantly as she started to walk toward him, her eyes glistening ever more intensely with unreadable thoughts and intention. Eric smiled at Pam, who folded her arms over her chest in contentment. Arya looked every bit more of a vampire than Eric could ever have remember; she exuded self confidence and attitude. 'She's so like Pam.' Eric told himself, in the years he hadn't seen her in person somehow Arya had matured into this sauntering, self aware vampire femme fatale.

Eric closed his eyes, awaited her small hand to slip into his for the first time in decades, wondering if her nails would be polished red. He liked red on both his girls. Red was his favourite colour.

Click.

A twig broke under foot, making Eric's eyes fly open. Peering out into the near distance, he took in a statuesque Arya stood firm about a metre away from him, her face was harder no emotion registering over her features. Her eyes appeared darker.

"Arya…?" Eric asked curiously.

Pam looked over her child's shoulder to her maker who stood, bewildered. _'Arya?' _Pam called through their bond.

"Arya?" Eric asked, watching a smirk creep onto the youthful vampires face. Eric felt a twinge in the core of him, as her eyes buried deeper into his being.

"Arya." Pam called, a sense of anger overtaking her sense, something was going to happen.

Heightening her eyebrow, Arya smiled widely a look of sanguine happiness filling her eyes, as she thrust out and arm in front of her. A blinding white light filled the space between them, so powerful it threw Eric off his feet.


	29. Chapter 29

**Hello, sorry I've taken so long. I got complete writer's block with this chapter as it's a lot more descriptive writing than speech, but here you are. I'll try and update soon. Chuck. **

Chapter 29

Arya smiled as she lowered her arms to her side, her anger dissolving as the light that flared from her hands dissolved into nothingness.

"What did you just do?" Pam asked confounded by what had just happened. Standing beside her child, Pam finally registered her own unconscious movement; she had been two metres away from Arya before. "How did you do that?" Pam stared at Arya with great focus, her eyes wide with a disturbed feeling of confusion. '_She was calm I…_' Pam told herself, "how..?" Pam's words eluded her, the unexpected strength and use of power making her virtually mute.

Arya stood unmoved her face no longer bearing the smile of satisfaction, but a look of unhappiness in its place, her eyes fixed on Eric's still ground level form.

…

Eric couldn't remember the last time he just stopped and looked at the stars, '_a long time ago' _he told himself, gazing up to the heavens as he lay in the spot he'd landed. After the vampire population had, 'come out of the coffin' it seemed that the stars had become a forgotten beauty to the metropolitan lifestyle of work and play. Planting his feet flat on the warm, magically charged ground, Eric dragged them into himself resting his heels against the edge of his butt cheeks. '_Powerful…very white...' _Eric said repeatedly within his own rattled mind, the shock of the force he crashed to the floor with making every muscle vibrate.

Moving slowly, Eric sat up, shaking his head from side to side in an attempt to regain brain function. Looking up and out from his sitting position, he saw a wide eyed, confusion filled Pam who flick her apologetic, worried eyes between her maker and her child.

'I'm alright Pam...' Eric whispered through their bond, Pam's eyes flicking to him instantly as he jumped to his feet to prove his point. Dusting off his tuxedo jacket, Eric straightening his posture feeling each and every bone in his spine click, "I deserved that." Eric admitted, looking his grandchild in the eye taking his white handkerchief out of his lapel pocket, waving it cautiously asking for peace. "I know what I've done. I understand how much I've hurt her." Eric stole a glimpse at Pam who smiled briefly, "and I know that by hurting her I've been hurting you."

Arya looked away to her left, she could feel remorse seeping out of Eric, everything bar her injustice hating nature wanting to forgive him instantly. Sure he understood the words that had left Pam's mouth but Eric didn't know everything he'd done to Pam. He didn't have a clue and it was up to her to show him, 'so we can all stand united, strong, as a family', Arya told herself.

"_What is she feeling?"_ Eric asked Pam wordlessly, catching his concerned child's eye as she broke her stare on her bowed head progeny. Pam shook her head, "_nothing?"_

"_I can't home into anything, she's thinking too fast…"_ Pam's eyes widened, blinking erratically as a mountain of Arya's uninterruptable thoughts passed through Pam's own brain. Sliding her hand under Arya's, Pam locked fingers with her child, caressing the inside of Arya's mind with the words, "_Calm down…"_

"_I am calm…" _Arya squeezed Pam's hand.

Looking up from Arya, Pam gazed at Eric as he approached them slowly. _"Calm Pam…" _Eric smiled, trying to infuse a sense of ease into his child as he came within hands touching distance of Arya. Reaching out a hand Eric cupped Pam's face giving it a reassuring squeeze before clasping her hand and turning his attention to his favourite brunette, who was completely unmoved by Eric's closeness. She remained still as a polished ivory statue staring at her feet, appearing to be lost in her own mind.

"_I don't know what's wrong with her…" _Eric met Pam's eyes, _"Eric…" _Pam's voice almost whispered, her tone filled with an uncommon concerned quiver, _"I don't know what to do…"_ Pam admitted, dropping her eyes to the floor in shame, although she hated the idea of needing advice as a maker, she needed Eric to show her what to do.

Pam had warned Arya that she would struggle being a maker, that caring about anyone but herself was foreign nature; and they had run into troubles and mishaps. After all they'd both hit the ground running. Having not been completely prepared to be a maker, Pam had forgotten to tell Arya about some of the fundamentals of being a vampire, crying blood tears had been a nasty shock, the bleeds had been an interesting thing to explain and that most importantly glamouring didn't work on your maker. Pam praised herself on not being overly sentimental but being near her progeny brought out a caring nature Pam didn't think she had, she loved her child as much as she loved her maker and herself. Pam felt lost, she had no idea how to pre-empt or comfort her clearly distressed progeny and she needed her maker to help her.

"_This will be okay Pam…"_ Eric smiled briefly, winking at Pam in an attempt of comforting confidence.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Eric took a deep internal breath as he reached out a hand to clasp Arya's which hung loosely by her side, not the slightest spark of tension filling any of her muscles. Eric configured his hand, sliding it into her small grasp.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"Arya?" Pam asked her eyes looking at the ground.

Drip. Drip.

Following Pam's look, Eric found himself starring at the moon's reflection glistening in a small puddle of liquid rubies on the floor beneath Arya's sobbing head. Looking at one another Eric and Pam felt a wave of emotion flood them, filling them with an colossal ache. Never in both their lifetimes had they heard such sobs, although Arya stood as the solitary crying being, the sobs echoed more than one voice. A shiver travelling down Eric's spine as he realised the phantom sobs were Pam's. Looking up into the mutually wide eyed red rimmed blue ravines, Eric and Pam felt the thud as Arya's walls fell, the emotions of the last three years taking no mercy on them.

"I'm…." Eric muttered, "I…huuhhh…" Eric's voice broke of as he felt the small hand within his clutch with a vice like grip. The touch of cool skin to cool skin sending an electrical memory surge coursing through the trio of minds, bodies and souls; between them the bond flickered and flitted like the small lights that surrounded them, all the energy in the woodland heightening with intensity.

Behind all their eyes images of time not so long gone by played, the three finally sharing in the knowledge of the other two-thirds experience.

….

For the first time Eric saw Pam's struggle; watching her get Sookie's initial phone call at Fangtasia, followed quickly by speeding through the darkness to Sookie's old house, he watch himself cast her through a door way with a shove of his hand. He saw her in the basement scaring Lafyette senseless, the meeting with Marnie and co in the woods, he watched as Marnie's spell rotted Pam's face and the hours of frustrated, upset crying in her room alone. The images, emotions and sounds flicked past like fast, educational slides; Eric watched Pam run Fangtasia as her life slowly fell apart. He heard the crashing of glass as it broke against the walls of the office in anger and winced at the pain he felt subconsciously watching Pam get the shots in the temples, the skin peel and the days of silvering. He saw how his child ran into his arms at Bill's heart filled with short lived joy to have her maker back, he watched as she gave Sookie the eyebrow of contempt as he walked away from her, her blonde haired head thinking and fretting. Eric's eyes leaked the red liquid the three Northman's hated, as he saw his child's heart ache with passion as she shot the missile at the moon goddess emporium, finally reliving the look of helpless, lonely hurt that filled her eyes as he told her _'get out of my sight, before I kill you.'_ The images of the hurt he'd caused ever unfolding before him…

Drip.

A Pam tear hit the floor as the infamous Ruby flood broke the eyelid barrier; with her eyes fixed shut, Pam saw her maker torn between forgiveness within his office in Fangtasia, she could feel the mixed emotions of love and rage radiated from the image into her physical being. She saw him worry on numerous occasions, she saw his deep seated guilt and level of self loathing for his actions. She watched him break things in frustration as he agonised over telling her about Arya, sitting on the top of the stairs listening to her cry in the parlour, regret filling his saddened blue eyes. She saw tears roll.

Drip.

Arya present in all the memories now shuddered under the pressure of being the vessel that made them discover and resolve their issues. Being who she was, a magical being of multiple origin, Arya had a unique ability which enabled her to dig into the souls of others searching for every bit of useful information. Arya's eyelids quivered with over activity, red tears falling down her porcelain cheeks. She loved her makers more than anything and she would never want to cause them unnecessary pain, but Arya knew that after everything had been experienced and dealt with they would stand stronger than they ever had before. This was a mission of forgiveness. Watching Eric and Pam's memories begin to fade out, Arya took an internal breathe as she felt her walls come crashing completely down.

…

Arya's reality flooded them all, her last three years not all that indifferent to that of the older two vampires. All the years she'd been alone she'd been able to feel her elder's feelings whilst, they lived in the peaceful bliss of under activity from her end. Eric and Pam watched as Arya got skull splitting visions from their lives, they watched her enchant Eric with a clocking spell out in the sunlight. Multiple images of her trying to break the hex she'd placed upon herself, her body taking flight and landing hard in several outdoor and indoor locations. They observed her nights and days studying her craft and herbal medicine trying to create a cure for Pam's facial ailment. They saw her slaving away at work, the bleeds running from most orifices as a statement to her tiredness, their draining effect on her energy. Pam winced at the presence of her voice, '_Aryaaa…!'_ Watching her pride and joy get thrown around as she met the magical force fields of her purgatory, her body being thrown backward over and over again, buckling lower to the floor with emotion, crying until daylight forced her into silence. Arya fought against her magical restraints with animalistic passion, feeling the force and heat of the explosions caused by her counter magic as she cursed Eric's name. They felt her heartache, her recent sobs echoing from past occasions in their eyes and she broke down, crippling into a crumpled ball of pain from the sadness, betrayal, and frustration and hurt she was enduring.

The light in the clearing flickered empathically, lessening in activity as the memories began to dwindle in the last few moments of the show and tell. The light energy disappearing with a sudden, vivid bright burst as the trio gasped at the night air, the images releasing them dramatically back into the calm, silent wood. Standing connected in their triangular formation, still holding hands.

"Now we are even in our understanding." Arya whispered into the air, lifting her closed eyed head toward the sky, her body shaking wearily under the pressure of being the vessel of all knowledge.

Opening their eyes Pam and Eric met each other's gaze, each taking in the blood stained faces of the other. For the first time since everything had come about, Eric and Pam felt a general calm, a complete ease in the water of their eyes, both unanimous in the agreement Arya's intervention had been a good thing because now they felt strong again. Turning their heads to the young vampire who'd shown them the light, "Arya?" they called in unison.

Lowering her head to its normal place, Arya flicked her lighter green-blue eyes wearily between the two people who had made her life worth living, her glances almost apologetic in nature. "It was the only way I could make you see…" She said tipping her head toward the floor, knowing that her intervention was a drastic one.

Letting go of Arya's hand, Eric lifted her head with a single finger smiling as her eyes fell upon his own. For someone with such power her face held so much innocence, her face as fragile as the red tears balancing on her bottom lid. "No more tears." Eric said softly, his tone enforcing enough authority that Arya fort them back into her being, making Eric smile she might be annoyed with him but she respected him. Peering at Pam quickly Eric smiled squeezing her hand gently. Cupping Arya's face within his grasp, Eric lowered his head down to her eye level. For a moment Eric watched her eyes trying to read deeper than the feelings he could feel through the bond, they were a truly magnificent colour one Eric had seen only a few times in his existence, a sparkling green-blue aquatic ravine of emotion and personality. Eric smiled as she crossed her eyes to her nose, Arya not as keen of the eyeballing session as Eric, squeezing her face gently Eric said, "Thank you…"

Pam smiled, as her maker spoke the words she thought, watching her child look down toward the floor bashfully before smirking to herself with pride.

Standing up tall Eric dropped Pam's hand free, pulling down his tuxedo jacket, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "From this moment," Eric spoke clearly, "we are no longer slaves to our emotions." Eric's eyebrow raised as he gazed at his two tear stained girls, 'this might be harder than usual…" Pam smirked at Arya who shook her head, "We have no feelings and we're cold hearted and ruthless…" The two girls threw a hand on one hip simultaneously, in anticipation for the point of his speech. "We are the Northman's." Eric said walking in toward both the women.

" The Swynford de Beaufort's…" Pam said her statement eyebrow of displeasure in its place, she hated Eric's male superiority trait. 'So old fashion…' She drawled within her mind, why did women have to take a man's name?

Arya rolled her eyes, "The Northman-Swynford de Beaufort's"

Pam and Eric smirked, Arya ever the diplomat.

"We are the Northman-Swynford de Beaufort's," The trio smiled, "We are the best of the best and with our new found knowledge and understanding, we are healed, we have survived and we are stronger than ever."

"And no waitress called Sookie Stackhouse will ever change that…" Arya said, twirling her hair around her finger playfully, pursing her lips with attitude.

"No she won't…" Eric confirmed smiling at Pam, reaching out his arms; Eric wrapped one around each of their shoulders pulling Pam and Arya into his chest. "This is our stronghold. We are one." Eric felt two arms slide around his back, fingers locking at the base of his spine. A sense of complete calm filling each of the vampire's as they fell into each other's forms; each of them completely helpless to withstand the familiarity of the scents and closeness of their loved ones.

Arya buried her head deep into Eric's chest leaning her forehead against Pam's. Having been alone for thirty years Arya felt a sense of betrayal within herself, for a huge portion of her dead life she'd prided herself upon not needing anyone but now here in the grasp of her matriarch and patriarch she felt pure joy. She felt at home and she now realised that truthfully for thirty years, she'd avoided thinking of this closeness because it was all she really wanted. Snuggling deeper into Eric's chest, Arya told herself, 'and giving in feels so damn good.'

Placing a hand on top of the heads of golden and chocolate hair, Eric held his girls too him tightly absorbing their happiness. Eric felt a smile grace his face, he could feel that Pam was completely happy and at ease, her heart was light, her head was happy and her soul no longer ached with absence of any kind. Also, Arya was warming to him slowly though Eric wasn't completely convinced that she was happy with hip.

"Yeah, this isn't completely soppy at all is it?" Pam asked sarcastically her words almost whimsical with stifled laughter, "there's no emotion in this at all." Arya chortled to herself, squeezing Pam's hands, "not that I'm complaining…" Pam added merrily.

"It's completely cold hearted…" Arya smirked, "in a kind of warm and fuzzy manner…'

"Ok let go of me." Eric pouted releasing his arms, from around them.

"Eric…" His girls laughed.

"No, no, you've done it now, let me go." Eric taunted playfully.

"I suppose we'd better be getting back before people get suspicious…" Arya spoke into Eric's chest.

"Why would anyone be missing us?" Eric asked pulling back from the embrace. As they unravelled themselves from each other, Pam and Eric gazed curiously at Eric, "Should someone be missing you?"

"I know people." Arya said smiling wickedly.

"Who?"

Pam and Eric looked at each other curiously, both thinking the same thing, Arya had only been in Shreveport just over an hour.

"I may not have been here long but I have the Valentine-Northman-Swynford de Beaufort charm. I also needed help getting here, so I made a friend."

"Who would you want to be friends with around here?" Eric and Pam asked in unison, they'd lived here for years and they didn't particularly like anyone.

"You'll find out…" Arya smiled, "She's in Fangtasia, waiting."

"Human?" Eric asked curiously, the girl was bound to be hot if Arya chose her. 'I hope it's not a shifter.'

Pam looked at her watch, '11.28…', "Eric, we have it go, now, it's 11.28 and I don't even need to look in a mirror to know that I look less than perfect right now. I'll need at least h…"

"You look perfect to me…" Arya drawled flirtatiously, winking at her maker who basked in the praise.

"And that's why I've missed you…" Pam said with a grin, "but seriously, there's work to be done on this…" Pam waved a hand over her face before bundling the skirt of her dress over her arm once more, walking toward her child she laid a hand on her back, "You need you do your face too…" Pam smiled as Arya rolled her eyes, "I only say it because I care…" Pam laid a kiss on Arya's forehead, "come on lets go celebrate your death day." With a smile Pam disappeared into the wooded darkness.

The wood fell silent as the youngest and oldest of the line stood looking after Pam, "Arya," Eric said her eyes looking up into his instantly, "are we all right?" Eric asked hopefully humble.

Arya eyes flickered quickly as she processed Eric's question whilst simultaneously removing her shoes from her feet, clutching them by the toes. Smiling sweetly Arya leant in toward Eric's personal space whispering, "Not nearly old man…" Her eyes teased Eric, her eyebrows rising with the firm knowledge she still had Eric on the hook as his face dropped a little. Tapping his arm, Arya caressed it gently, "but play your cards right and it won't take long…" Like her maker Arya liked flirting with authority. Smiling mischievously Arya disappeared after Pam into the darkness, leaving Eric alone in the wood with the thought that she was holding him by the proverbial nuts.


	30. Chapter 30

**I apologise to any potential French readers. My French is incredibly rusty and I hope it's not too terrible. **

Chapter 30

"What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Looking up from her cold bottle of True Blood Jessica met the eyes of the questioning fangbanger. Smiling sweetly, she ran her eyes over him, 25, 5'11, 175 pounds with muscle, dark hair, grey eyes, and a massive pulsing artery in his neck. "The question should be. What is a guy like you doing in a place like this?"

"Just looking for some fun…" He said running his eyes over Jessica's anatomy.

"Most people who come in here are looking to die…" Jessica said mindlessly, "I mean… that's what they used to say." Rolling her eyes, 'fucking AVL' she told herself.

"So are you here with someone?" The guy asked sliding in toward Jessica a little bit more.

"Yes… I mean no…" Jessica gathered her thoughts, "Yes I am here with someone but I'm not _here_ with someone." Jessica trying to make sure she was clear, "Actually I was thinking of throwing a little get together later."

"Yeah?"

"Mm… Nothing big or fancy, just a few of my friends," Jessica flicked her eyes to the floor and up again as she felt the energy within her become more flirtatious. "and a few of yours?" She smiled innocently, her eyes echoing a heat of vampire lust.

Licking his lips the boy brushed his nose confident that the night was going to be a night to remember, "Do you have a friend who would suit my friend over there?" Following the boyman's gaze Jessica saw a taller, blonder version of the boy before her, "He just broke up with his girl, and we need to make him happier."

"Make who happy?" A feminine voice Jessica recognised asked, turning to face Arya who stood beside her.

Jessica smiled brightly at her presence; "Hey, are you alright?" looking closer at Arya's smiling face Jessica noticed the slight red tear stains.

"Oh it's just the bleeds, I'm fine." Having caught a glimpse of the male beside her who now in turn looked her over intently; Arya winked at Jessica approvingly, "Sorry I took so long I got caught up… boring work stuff." Arya smiled, turning her attention back to the dribbling male, looking the boy up and down, "and you are?"

"Oh, uh, the name's Bob, short for Robert." He said smoothly.

Robert. Meaning bright, 'I'm guessing not so bright…' Arya laughed to herself.

"Well it's nice to meet you Bob short for Robert. I'm Julia… just Julia." Jessica watched with a slight feeling of awe as she watched her friendly stranger lie, "and this is Sophie, just Sophie." Arya flicked her eyes to Jessica her eyes oozing mischief.

"Yeah, right I'm Sophie." Jessica smiled her best girl next door smile. "I was just telling Bob about that small, personal party we were thinking of having later." Jessica smirked, as Arya nodded empathically along to the story she'd never heard.

"Starting at 2:30 am by the lake out back right..?" Arya asked twirling a finger around a curl.

"Yes…"

"Cool, cool." Bob nodded eyeing the two girls up and down, "Uh, I was just telling, Sophie…" the boy pointed at Jessica, congratulating himself mentally for remembering and thought that made Arya giggle out loud. Human men were so lame, "here about my friend." He said looking down into Arya's eyes.

"Oh?"

"He just broke up with his girlfriend and I think he needs to have some fun…" Bob winked at Arya, "Let loose, and forget about the bitch."

Arya smiled widely, this good looking schmuck and his heart broken friend would make delicious snacks later on. Edging forward into Bob's personal space Arya fixed her eyes on his. "You can tell your friend that I can wipe his memory clean." Running a finger down the pulsing artery in Bob's throat, Jessica watched in amazement as a fully grown man tremored under the gentle touch, his eyes transfixed on Arya's. "Do you think you could call two more friends, preferably two female." Bob nodded like a love drunk fool, "Good…" Arya smile glittered in the dimly lit room; laying a hand on the Bob's chest she pushed him away from her, breaking eye contact with him. "Now then, go away and come back at closing," She drawled finally, turning her full attention back Jessica.

"Ok… We'll see you later." Bob said shaking his head, dazed by Arya's glamouring skills. Stumbling his way back into the crowded dance floor.

"How do you do that?" Jessica asked flabbergasted by what she'd just seen.

"Do what?"

"How do you glamour people without questioning if it's morally right first?" Jessica wondered sulking back into the bars edge, a twinge of jealousy pinging within her.

Arya's eyebrow heightened, "Do you really think that if a human could glamour they'd um and ah about the possible moral negativities?" Jessica shrugged, "Of course they wouldn't. They'd use it to get everything their hearts, minds and sexual organ's desired and all without batting an eyelid." Laying a hand on Jessica's shoulder, Arya gave it a reassuring squeeze, "as vampires we earn the right to have such a power, we live forever and we have to put up with people like Bob for eternity…."

"I guess so…" Jessica nodded, "I mean if I had had glamour when I was alive, I would have used it to get the hell out of my house."

"Oh please tell me you aren't discussing the pros and cons of glamouring again…" Pam drawled appearing at Jessica's side, making her jump. Pam smiled widely as she took in her progeny's handy work, looking Jessica up and down; she appreciated her form within the dress. "May I just say cheeto you are looking uncharacteristically glamorous tonight."

"Uh… thanks, I think." Jessica smiled; Pam had never complimented her before.

"Who's your friend?" Pam said a smirk gracing the corner of her mouth, the same expression gracing Arya's.

"Oh, uh, Pam this is Arya…" Jessica watched as a grin of appreciation covered Pam's face. Although she'd expected Pam to appreciate Arya's physicality, the look of what Jessica thought was undeniable lust was surprising. "Arya this is Pam, the co-owner of Fangtasia." Arya curtsied taking them both by delightful surprise.

"How do you do?" Pam asked her accent edged with its original English origin.

"I am well, and yourself?"

"Increasingly… wonderful…" Pam tone teased, her eyes twinkling with the secret they shared.

Looking on at the two vampire women before her, Jessica noticed how a certain light filled both their faces, a stare of a happy familiarity of some kind that Jessica could not work out. "Arya's originally from Ireland." Jessica blurted, both sets of confused eyes falling on her as she broke the silence between them.

"Yes, I was…" Arya said with a toothy smile directed at Jessica.

"I was from London…" Pam's accent changing completely as she mentioned her home town for the first time in decades.

"Really?" Jessica blurted, "I didn't…"

"Well I suppose you couldn't win everything…" Arya flirted flicking her eyes back to her makers face.

"What brings a girl from the lucky green isle to the south State of Louisiana?" Pam slid her hand onto its frequent resting place.

"I was just passing through, hoping to catch up with my friends around these parts…"

"And I thought," Jessica interrupted looking at Pam, "because you remember everyone… I thought you could help her find them." Turning her head back to Arya she said bashfully, "not that I want you to leave."

"I'm sure if you gave me an in depth description of them I'd be able to tell you if they've been around these parts." Pam sauntered a step further forward into Arya's space.

Jessica watched as Pam crossed her arms across her chest, relaxing into her hip as her eyes fixed on Arya's who stared right back with the same look of playful secrecy, their eyes communicating something Jessica couldn't decipher without being telepathic. "Have you two met before?"

"Something like that." Pam answered without removing her eyes off Arya.

Arya felt Jessica's mind buzz with over activity as she tried to work out how, Pam had met her before. Business?

"_What is she thinking?" _Pam asked Arya without moving her lips.

"_She's trying to work this out." _Arya made her eyes dance, _"Oh bingo…"_

"Wait!" Jessica spat suddenly, looking to Arya, "Is Pam your old friend? Eric too?"

"Guilty." Pam said smiling at Jessica.

Holding her hands up Arya wiggled her fingers, smiling, "Guilty."

Jessica smiled delightedly, "So I helped you find your friend?" Arya nodded.

"You did more than that…" Jessica looked at Pam with puzzled eyes, "you brought her home." Pam couldn't help the smile that seemed ever present on her face, for the first time in months she was truly happy. Although, this inability to not smile was something she'd kick herself for later when people mistakably thought of her as an approachable vampire but she was perfectly happy to deal with those consequences.

"Were you two lovers?" Jessica asked, an unknown feeling brushing round the inside of her stomach.

"Don't be shy, just come right out and ask…" Pam put a hand on her hip.

Jessica's eyes widened, "I'm sorry… I…."

"No don't be sorry, it's nice to see you growing some backbone carrot cake."

"Pam is my best friend, sister, mother, _child…" _Pam's rolled her eyes at the truth, "and chief style advisor…." Arya finished, smoothing her hand up and down Pam's arm.

"If I could blush…" Pam whispered.

Jessica felt herself blinking erratically, the speed of her thoughts showing through the over activity of her eyes. What did they mean? Mother. Best friend. Sister. Child? "I don't get it. What does all that mean?"

"Seriously… you really are a baby…" Pam thanked a god she didn't believe in that Arya was her child and Jessica was not. Feeling a hand slip into her own, Pam looked down into the eyes of her long lost progeny.

"Pam," Arya winked, "I'd like you to meet Jessica, my first Shreveport friend." The two aquatic eyes fell upon the red head, "Jessica… I'd like you to meet Pam," Arya squeezed Pam's hand as she felt the words make their way from her mouth, "my maker."

Jessica's mouth fell open, "Maker!" Standing up straight Jessica twisted herself until she was face on, gazing at Pam, "You're her maker."

"Yes." Pam's expression as deadpan as a wax work, "I know…I did good."

"How?" Jessica asked looking between the duo.

"You already know."

Pam looked at Arya quizzically, "She does?"

"But it was so romantic," Jessica told herself searchingly, Pam wasn't the romantic type.

Pam chortled to herself, "I've never heard it called that before."

"I supposed you were my heroine, you saved me from the big-bad-step mother." Arya said leaning her head against Pam's shoulder.

"You're her maker…" Jessica said mindlessly looking out at the crowd.

"Didn't we just cover that?" Pam looked at Jessica with irritable eyes, 'She's so annoying.'

Arya tapped Jessica's arm lightly, "It means I'm sticking around."

Jessica's eyes darted straight to Arya's face, a bubble of excitement growing within her. "You're staying?"

Arya nodded coyly, smiling a smile of contented ecstasy, "Nothing is taking me anywhere…"

Jessica smiled brightly unable to contain her excitement, "then I'm glad I could be of help."

Letting go of Pam's hand Arya flew to Jessica's side sliding an arm around her waist, something that confused and surprised both Pam and Jessica. "Isn't there something you want to say to my new friend?" Arya asked her maker, an unmistakably familiar look of playfulness filling her eyes; butterflies flooding Jessica's body as in turn Arya laid her head upon her shoulder.

Straightening her posture Pam looked at Arya sceptically before fixing her eyes on Jessica, "I…" Pam rolled her eyes, "Thank you, I guess."

"You're welcome, I guess." Jessica slapped her free hand over her mouth, closing her eyes to shut out the expectant glares; she'd never spoken to Pam like that before. A tremor of panic rippled through her, Pam wasn't particularly nice to the people she liked let alone the ones who answered her back. Opening her eyes slowly Jessica looked at, "Why do you look impressed?"

"Because I'm clearly having a beneficial effect on you" Pam grinned radiantly, pleased with herself.

"Is that a good thing?" Jessica looked at Arya.

Arya shrugged, "I guess it's not a bad thing."

"I've taught you more than your maker has haven't I?" Pam asked, the question completely rhetorical, it wouldn't take a great deal to outdo Compton. "Who did you ring when no one else was around?"

"You…" Jessica shrugged.

"There's a dead body in my house, how do I get rid of the dead body Auntie Pam?" Jessica looked out and around her, but nobody bar Arya had heard what Pam had said and she was giggling. "I went out to get the chain saw and the body disappeared, Auntie Pam."

Removing her arm from around Jessica's waist Arya rolled between the two women, leaning back against the bar chortling to herself, "Auntie Pam…? Suits you…" Shaking her head at the hilarity.

"Complements of Mr. Northman." A barmaid shouted over the music, placing what Arya thought to be a tray with three glasses and a bottle behind her.

Twisting her torso Arya turned to face the bar, her eyes meeting a deep purple bottle. "How in the hell...?" Looking over her shoulder, Arya's eyes surpassed the crowd making a beeline for the other set of eyes that smirked back at her, Eric looking smugly confident with his bribe. _"Good start…"_ Arya commented with the confines of Eric's skull, the smirk spreading from his eyes to his mouth as he looked away into the crowd.

"He bought it especially for you." Pam said removing the top of the elegant bottle.

"I'll give him props, he's good at bribery." Arya smiled as the sweet smell of AB- Venetian Virgin with a splash of O filled her nostrils as the blood ran down the sides of the crystal champagne flute.

"What is that stuff?" Jessica asked dreamily, as the most pleasant smell filled her nose.

"Very expensive, very rare blood…" Pam lifted a glass to Arya.

"Here try some…" Arya slide the glass into Jessica's hand.

Taking a sip Jessica felt the drink envelop all her senses, the liquid infusing a shot of delicious serotonin shooting through her body.

"Hey Jess." An approaching male voice shouted.

"Great. Stackhouse…" Pam said rolling her eyes, glugging back her drink.

The blonde, brunette and red head turned to face in imposing male presence in the form of Jason Stackhouse.

"I thought Sookie was a girl?" Arya's voice lilted with confusion.

"He's her brother," Jessica said noticing a light of delight flicker in Arya's eye as Jason closed in, "he's my kind of boyfriend."

"Kind of..?"

"It's complicated…" Jessica said lowering her head as Jason stumbled through the crowd.

"He's a human it'll always be complicated." Arya muttered her and Pam sharing a look of agreement.

"Hey, didn't you hear me call you?" Jason asked, sounding irritable. He'd sworn to himself months ago that he would not step in Fangtasia apart from on official business.

"It's kind of loud in here…" Jessica said with a shrug of the shoulders, "Why are you here?"

"I need a word with you…" Looking at the two women who stood behind his kind of girlfriend, "in private…"

"Don't mind us…" Arya fluttered her eye lashes; she always found that a slight batting of her long eyelashes made men go a bit weak at the knees.

Jason smiled, "I don't mean to cause o'ffence miss but I and the woman by your side aren't on very good terms."

"I didn't realise we had terms Stackhouse…" Pam smiled smugly knowing Jason couldn't find a retort to her words.

"I don't mind you saying whatever in front of them…" Jessica tossed a smile over her shoulder at the nearest thing she had to 'girlfriends'. "Jason this is Arya… Arya is Pam's,"

"Friend…" Arya chirped.

Looking Arya over Jason liked what he saw, she was, her dress was… Jason cleared his throat. "How do you do?"

Arya bobbed with her whole body, a motion that confused and excited Jason. No one had ever curtsied to him before. Jason's nostrils flared in discontent for his current situation, his thoughts proving to be a great source of entertainment for Arya who let out a girly laugh at the constant and varied thoughts that circled the inside of his skull.

"il pense que vous êtes chaud." "He thinks you're hot." Arya chortled in a language that she only shared with Pam, who was grinning widely at a unhappy, unaware Jason."Il déteste être ici. Qu'avez-vous fait?" Arya asked turning to look at Pam.

"He hates being here. What did you do to him?"

"J'ai tiré un lance-roquettes à sa sœur. Il a failli être tué dans le processus de…"

"I shot a rocket launcher at his sister. He was nearly killed in the process." Shrugging a shoulder in the defence of her no big deal attitude, "J'ai essayé de sauver Eric de la vraie mort par la main de Bill Compton. Je n'allais pas Eric perdre à cause de cette stupide serveuse." "I was trying to save Eric from the true death by the hand of Bill Compton. I was not going to lose Eric because of a stupid waitress."

"I get that…" Arya smiled at her maker, "I would have done the same." She loved and admired Pam's passion.

"What were you to saying in that, that language?" Jason questioned, his eyebrows furrowing deeper and deeper into the top of his nose.

"Private stuff…" Pam teased her eyebrows moving upward flirtatiously.

"I'm a police officer; I can get a warrant for you to tell me." Jason puffed out his chest.

"Then get a warrant." Pam threw a hand on her hip, pacing one step toward Jason.

"Jess… Bill wants you home." Jason managed to pull his eyes away from Pam.

"Why? It's Halloween. He knew I'd be coming to Fangtasia." Jessica stood straighter, her mind buzzing with frustration, why did Bill always have to kill the fun.

"All that I know is, he called me and he wants you home and now." Jason put his hands in his pocket. "I'll be in the truck…" Throwing a glare in Pam's direction, Jason's frustration grew as he saw a smile stretch openly over Pam's face. "It was nice to meet you Miss…"

"Arya…" Arya said with her best girl next door smile.

"Arya…" Jason smiled briefly, "Jess be quick." Jessica rolled her eyes, letting her kind of boyfriend wander back into the crowd of people.

"I hate having a king as my maker…" Jessica picked up the clutch bag Arya had loaned her. Looking down at herself she let out a sigh, "I'll have this dry cleaned and returned to you… You'll be here right?"

Arya shock her head, "It's all yours, call it a finder's fee and delivery charge."

"Thanks…" Jessica smiled slightly.

"You don't have to go… tell his majesty to go spin." Arya shrugged.

"No…I better go. It'll be less earache in the long run." Standing up tall, Jessica shook out the skirt of her skirt.

"_Arya…" _Pam called her child through their bond, her eyes casting up into Pam's. "_Eric wants you to make her forget you."_ Arya's large ocean like eyes narrowed into a stream, "_He wants to introduce you to Compton formally."_ Arya looked away toward the red head who was struggling with her duty to her maker and her urges to stay and disobey. _"Do what you think is best."_ Pam saw Arya's head dip in agreement.

"I better go… I'll see you around?" Jessica asked hopefully.

"Yes. I'll be around."

Walking slowly, Jessica gave a small wave to the people she'd intended on having a good night with. Walking a few paces into the crowd Jessica felt consumed by unhappiness and frustration of her obligation to her regent and maker. "Oh wait…" Turning on her heel she rushed back to the two vampires stood at the bar. "Hey Pam, I have to tell you something…" Pam's face remained unmoved by Jessica's sudden re-arrival. "Did Sookie talk to Eric?"

"When?"

"The night Bill sent her here…"

Pam rolled her head at the memory of the hard landing she'd received that night, she could almost feel the crunch of the chair as it snapped under her impact. "No. Things got a little … heated. Eric sent her home for her own benefit."

"And Bill hasn't called? Sent someone?"

"He sent his PA, we don't deal with the help." Pam took a sip of the delicious blood.

"But I think it's real important stuff." Jessica said with a sense of urgency.

Pam's eyebrow gained height, Compton's version of serious and important was borderline pathetic and needy on most occasions, "Like what?"

"I'm not really sure but Bill's been acting all weird and jumpy lately, it's probably the reason he wants me home."

"You are so informative…" Pam rolled her eyes, looking down to her right at her progeny, who stood staring intently at the returned red head. 'She's reading her name.' Pam told herself, she'd seen that focused stare many times before.

"He doesn't tell me everything." Jessica said crossing her arms defensively.

"Clearly… Just spit it out cupcake because y'boyfriend is waiting for you in his truck." Pam tried to mimic Jason's pissed off, macho man tone.

"She thinks it has to do with Russell Edginton." Arya spoke frankly as though channelling the message straight from Jessica's thoughts. "She heard her maker talking to some Were that has something to do with the Stackhouse girl, the Were seemed troubled by a discovery he made in a parking lot." Arya shook her head, reaching for the glass of VV AB- with a splash of O.

"How did you know that?" Jessica squeaked with a mixture of amazement and confusion.

"All in good time…" Arya smiled, leaning back against the bar as she down her glass, "mmm…yummy."

Pam's mind span as she said, "I'll go tell Eric his presence is required at Chateau Compton…" Her stomach knotting with a terrible sense of dread, "You should go…" Pam looked Jessica in the eye, dismissing her with a flick of a finger. Laying a hand on Arya's shoulder, "You need to feed properly, here's the key to outback I'll send out a donor for you." Arya felt Pam's dread, her own heart sinking at her involvement in that emotion filling her maker. Arya gave a simple nod, taking the golden key from Pam's hand. "I won't be long…" Pam smirked at her child, who she knew could feel her every flitting emotion, "Jessica, you are still here." Flicking her eyes to her left she saw the blurred Jessica shape, fade into the crowd. "Arya, food." Pam pointed to the door at the age of the bar.

"You are so bossy sometimes…" Arya rolled her eyes, grabbing the half full bottle off moreish blood from the bar. Arya gave a small playful smirk, before sulking off through the crowd toward the designated door.

Pam closed her eyes, as she took a deep breathe. A sense of undeniable dread filling her from head to toe, 'things were just getting better…Fucking typical.' She told herself, as she listened to the busy bars hum. Gathering herself, Pam straightened her posture twisting quickly on the spot pacing her way through the crowded floor, 'Why are you worried? Stop worrying. Eric will talk to Bill, kick him in the shins and make a clever remark about his height in relation to his kingship and it will all be fine. We put him in the ground once, we can do it again.'

"Eric." She said stood in front of her maker, bobbing her head for the crowds benefit. Eric smiled, Pam hearing an obsessive fangbanger crash to the floor her legs giving way to the power of his smile. Standing up Eric offered out an aidful hand to his progeny. Laying her hand gently upon his, Pam let Eric lead her to her smaller throne to his right. Eric was all about theatrics on Halloween.

Relaxing into her seat Pam turned her head to her right, looking adoringly upon her handsome maker's profile. Pam tapped her finger nails on the chairs arms, "Eric…" His head flopped to face her instantly, his eyes warm and curious. "We've got trouble."

Eric's blonde eyebrow shot upward, "I thought we were one again."

"Not with us," Pam sighed, "Compton has been neglecting his duties. His Royal fuckwit is currently looking for Russell Edginton."

"He's buried in a parking lot down town, he knows that."

"I don't believe he's there anymore…" Both sets of blonde eyebrows rose.

"What?" Eric asked his tone even and emotionless.

"That's what the urgent news was. At least that's what Arya plucked from Jessica's head."

"Skit." Eric swore in his native tongue.

"Do you want me to go see him?" Pam asked.

"No. He wanted me… I'll go when the bar closes."

"Eric, if Russell Edginton is free…"

"We won't worry about it until we know what's going on." Eric tapped his fingers on the back of Pam's hand, turning his head away from his child. The two blonde vampires stared out into the crowd consumed by her own thoughts.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Sat in his study, Eric stared at the ceiling, the name of the vampire he believed to have captured forever swimming around the mind in constant circles. "He can't be free…" Eric told himself, taping his feet on the hard parquet floor. "He's such an idiot" Bill Compton and his over inflated 'King' size ego had annoyed Eric from the beginning. For what would appear to anyone with a sane mind, Bill had been with holding this information for a while. Casting his eyes down at the tray piled high with hand written notes from Pam detailing the many messages left by Bill's P.A, Cindy Carmichael, Eric laughed at the top one which read simply, "Ditto the last forty."

'How could someone dig up six feet of cement?' Eric asked the atmosphere, it couldn't have been a human, unless it was a human with a pneumatic drill and digger. Could have been a Were with a sledge hammer or a vampire with a sledge hammer.

There were three little taps on the door.

"Come…" Eric said quietly.

The door opened slowly and smoothly, creaking a little, as Arya slipped into the room, keeping hold of the handle.

"I came to say good morning…" Arya said leaning her head against the doors edge.

"Surely after a week of the bleed you're not finally ready to go to bed." Eric smirked as a similar lip curl graced his grand progeny's face.

"The long days were worth it, I'm here now and I can sleep peacefully."

Holding up a hand Eric beckoned, "Come here…"

Pushing herself away from the door, Arya strolled toward the grand desk that was the centre piece to the immaculately decorated room. The room was old looking, like antique period drama library. The walls lined with books that predated Arya, Pam and the majority of vampires in Shreveport combined, it was charming and dusty.

"I'm guessing Pam's theme was Charles Dickens' study." Arya asked standing in front of the beautifully carved willow desk.

"I believe she tried to recreate the library in her childhood home. Apparently it was the only room apart from her own that she liked." Eric looked at Arya, as though she was missing something.

"What?"

"Where's Pam?"

"Considering that I've been away thirty years, we aren't quite joined at the hip yet Eric." Sauntering around to the other side of the desk, Arya sat on the desks edge, "She's upstairs, making appointments for a double mani-pedi and straightening my royal bed chamber… You've turned her into a right little home maker in my absence." Arya chuckled.

"She's always been house proud." Eric felt a bubble of happiness burst as he watched the brunette's head of curls bounce as she chortled to herself. "How am I doing?"

Arya smiled, "Not bad…" She answered honestly, he was moving up quickly but she didn't feel it was the right time to leave him off the hook, "keep it up…"

Rolling back slightly from his desk, Eric opened the draw pulling out a purple box with a giant ivory bow. "Happy birth, slash, death day." Eric said placing the present into his suspicious girls lap. "When I gave a present to Pam the other day she had that same look on her face. It's not a bomb."

"What is it?" Her eyes almost worried by the presence of the perfectly wrapped box in her lap.

"A present…" Eric's eyebrow went up what was it with the women of his line these days, they used to love being lavished with gifts.

"Why?"

"Because it's your death, birthday… Am I not aloud to give you a present?"

Arya glanced down at the pretty box, picking it up by the bow, shaking it back and forth. The present didn't make much noise even though a smaller box rolled about inside it.

"Just open it and see." Eric prompted.

Placing the box back in her lap, Eric watched as Arya threw away the ribbon and lid and a smile that mirrored Pam's reaction days earlier that stretched across Arya's face.

"Alexander McQueen!" Arya squeaked more excitedly than she'd intended, hugging the bag she'd wanted for months to her chest. "How did you get one of these?" Arya gazed down at the beautiful black silver embossed clutch bag with the sparkling silver skull clasp.

"I have my people."

Arya's eyes sparkled with happiness, it might have been quite superficial but Eric was making up ground fast. Eric smiled smugly as he looked on at the young vampire who hugged the bag in a blissful embrace, smiling carelessly.

"You are staring at me Northman." She said her eyes flicking up to his.

"It's nice to be able to stare at you, without a computer screen."

"Even when I'm throwing you through the air?" Arya asked, pursing her lips.

"I'll admit that was a … surprise. We will have to talk about your… specialness." Eric fixed his eyes on hers, enforcing the importance of that conversation, "You're a lot more…"

Arya nodded, her eyes widening, a look that made Eric feel like he didn't know half as much as he should. Placing the bag back in the box as gently as a mother would place a baby in its crib, Arya smirked. "Thanks for the bag." Sweeping her left hand around her head, Arya pulled her hair over her left shoulder, a move that never failed to stir the heat of lust within Eric. "It's beautiful…" Her eyes smiled at him. Laying the box on the desk top Arya stood, walking a little way from the desk.

"But?" Eric questioned getting out of her chair and standing in front of her.

"You're trying so hard…" Arya said shaking her head with disbelief at her own words.

"And that's a bad thing..?"

"No, no it's not. You_ are_ sorry and all I want to do is just forget everything and tell you that everything is completely hunky dory but…"

"You can't forgive."

Arya shook her head from side to side, a strange sensation slowly creeping through her, "No, I do forgive you." Laying a hand upon Eric's chest, she gazed up into his eyes, "I see the guilt inside you, the remorse. I saw it from the moment I landed outside Fangtasia…"

"Arya..?" Eric asked, watching the colour of her eyes deepened into a dark green blue, "your eyes…" Casting her eyes to the floor, Arya's thoughts followed her eyes, deepening and intensifying. Letting her head flop forward onto his chest she let him support her.

"I just can't forget."

Taking his hand from his side, Eric ran it down the length of Arya's head.

"You just can't get over me making you enchant yourself away." Arya nodded into his chest, her thoughts filling Eric with a sensation of falling. "Are you ok?" Eric asked putting a finger under her chin trying to lift her head.

"My head is just so heavy sometimes." Arya whispered.

"Are your visions worse?"

"No, they're under control but being nearer to the people who created me seems to bring an extra oomph. It's just all the thoughts, I'm not like that Stackhouse, everyone is just a well of information."

Eric looked down at the head of hair that buried into his chest, he'd never told Arya that Sookie was a telepath.

"You smell of her Eric, even slightly fey blood has its potency."

Eric felt a twinge of worry pass through him. "Why are you worried?"

"People are evil." Arya almost growled.

"I'm quite sure they'd say that about us."

Letting out an unnecessary breath, Arya slapped her hand on Eric's chest, "We are not evil." Her tone passionate, "Evil feels nothing, we feel everything…" Pulling herself away from Eric's chest Eric looked up into his eyes, her own eyes almost black. "Even if we don't like to show it."

"You're slipping…" Eric said, he'd only ever seen Arya this way once before; they were in New York standing at the top of the empire state building and she was slipping into a vision, it had saved Pam from getting in trouble in downton.

"We are in a good place Eric, all of us. Sure we still have creases to iron out but… doesn't everyone?" She asked hopefully, starting to sway where she stood.

With the more extreme visions, Arya would lose control, her body became motionless as she'd slip into a part of her mind where nobody but she could go.

Grabbing her by the shoulders Eric sat her on the edge of the desk, holding her in place as Pam came bursting through the door.

"What's happening?" Pam looked at her child who sat, her eyes black to the pupil and focused on Eric's chest, seeing images the others could not.

"She's having a moment."

"What?" Pam looked at Eric with confusion, alternating her attention between her maker and her progeny. Although vision's had occurred during their years together, Pam had never seen Arya in such a deep state of focus. Lost within her own world, like Snow White in Wonderland.

"What is she?" Eric wondered aloud unintentionally.

"I don't think she even knows…" The two vampires shared a slack-jawed look with one another.

"Doesn't know what?" Arya asked bluntly, her eyes wide with curiosity. "When did you get here?"

Pam put a hand on her hip, "Well hi you to, bitch." Arya smiled wickedly at her maker, scrunching her nose.

"Everything, all right?" Eric asked patting the top of Arya's head.

"It'll depend on whether you listen to me this time…" Arya's glanced at Eric her eye brow rising with a questioning tone.

Eric straightened his posture, puffing out his chest. After the last two years of not heeding Arya's advice, he wasn't about to make that mistake again. "Go on."

"Don't trust Bill Compton."

Pam's eyes flew to Eric's, watching his face not change, "I couldn't even if I wanted to."

"I'm not joking Eric." The two elder vampire's faces grew serious. "He's going to try and split our world apart through his own ignorance and egotistical mind games. Do not let him get inside your mind."

"What does that mean?" Pam questioned.

Arya shook her head, "I don't know…" closing her eyes Arya concentrated, "I saw two men standing in an office, talking but with minimal sound, the shorter man says something that makes the…" Arya opened her eyes, "taller, blonder one doubt. Are you going to see Compton?"

"I was thinking about it." Eric answered honestly.

"Just don't let him in here," tapping a hand to her head. Arya felt a wetness leave her nose, rubbing at her nose with the back of her hand Arya saw it had a covering of blood. "Shit…" Eric handed her a tissue, "thanks"

"You need to go to ground." Pam blurted, feeling a wave of exhaustion take over her as her eyes fell upon the blood running from Arya's nose.

"I'm fine."

"No you're not, go get ready for ground." Pam commanded, Arya's eyes narrowed, a smile threatening to grace her face.

"You've become maternal in my absence."

"No I have not!" Pam exclaimed, "but I am your maker, so go…" Arya crossed her arms over her chest, trying to play the petulant child, "now…"

Letting out a sigh, Arya rolled her eyes as she stood up from her seat on the desk edge, pacing two steps forward, she leaned into Pam, "no not maternal-at-all." She said with a smile, planting a kiss delicately on Pam's cheek. Turning around Arya picked up her magnificent present, noticing the smaller box she had yet to open, placing the box into the lull of her waist Arya turned to Eric. "I'll open this one tomorrow…" Placing a kiss on Eric's cheek, she looked up with tired eyes, "Good night gramps."

Placing a hand on the back of Arya's head, Eric pulled her nearer placing a kiss on her unlined forehead, "Good night little Snovit."

Brushing past her makers, Arya winked at a smiling Pam as she made her way toward the door, vacating the room without looking back.

Eric and Pam looked at each other talking mentally until they heard Arya walk far enough out of ear shot, hearing the water leave the taps of the west wing bathroom.

"Are you going to Bill's?" Pam asked, her mind unsettled by Arya's vision.

"I have to. If Russell Edginton is free, we need to do something, quickly…before he regains his full strength."

Pam nodded, "How could he be free? You buried him under six feet of concrete."

"Maybe he's not free, maybe Bill wants to move him somewhere more permanent."

"What's more permanent than concrete and silver chains?"

Cupping Pam's face, Eric shrugged, "I don't know."

"I can't believe he hasn't come to see us himself. We all have a lot to lose if this turns out to be truth." Pam pursed her lips, cursing Bill Compton to the most painful demise possible.

"We'll start worrying about that when we know more."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Pam expelled a breath of frustration, "I hate him."

"Me too." Eric concurred, his tone deep and animalistic as he tossed on his jacket. "Everything will be fine."

"Mmm…" Pam said looking off into the furthest part of the room.

"What are you thinking?" Eric inquired.

Pam bit her tongue, thinking about her words, "I trust my gut and I trust Arya's talent and I trust you… but some shit is going to happen and that shit won't half stink."

"Everything will be fine Pam…" Grabbing his keys off the desk, Eric walked into Pam's personal space, kissing her forehead. "I have every intention of listening to Ary…" He smiled, rubbing Pam's cheek as he moved off towards the door. Opening the door wide open Eric held it in his hand, "Now you my child will go upstairs and watch Calamity Jane with your child and enjoy your happiness." Pam laughed looking at her shoes, "did you hear me dear one?"

"Yes…daddy." Eric smirked as he watched Pam laugh joyfully. "Will you be home before dawn?"

"No, I'll probably have to go to ground elsewhere so I'll see you tomorrow, good morning my young one."

Pam's eyebrow rose at be called young one, her discontent making Eric laugh as he vanished out of their home to Chateau Compton.

…

"Uh Mr Northman you can't just…"

Bill heard his human P.A temp, Shauna call after the looming footsteps.

"5. 4. 3. 2. 1…" Bill watched the two doors to his office swing open revealing the Sheriff of Area five, Eric Northman.

"You requested my presence?" Eric asked slamming the doors in Shauna's face as he strode forward towards Bill's not so grand desk.

"I have been trying to contact you." Bill said his tone irritable.

"That's funny I could have sworn Pam told me the phone calls were from a feminine voice… then again." Eric rocked back and forth on his heel.

"That was my P.A."

"Ahh." Eric nodded, "well considering you couldn't come to Fangtasia to tell me this really important information I thought I'd better come to you. Considering Pam got some possibly alarming information out of your progeny, what's the deal with Russell Edginton?"

"I haven't told Jessica anything about the situation, how could she know…" Bill's mind reeled.

"She overheard you talking to that Werewolf. What about Russell Edginton?" Eric prodded.

"Sookie didn't tell you…" Bill questioned.

"Miss Stackhouse and I aren't on the best of terms, her last visit got a little, heated."

Bill looked at Eric with narrowed eyes, although he wished to know what had happen that night at Fangtasia, there were much more pressing matters afoot. "You may want to sit."

"I'd prefer to stand." Eric said straightening his posture so he was at his tallest. Eric liked having a height advantage.

"Russell Edginton is free." Bill spoke matter of factly.

Eric's heart sank to his stomach, 'Shit', managing to keep his composure, "What?"

"The place we buried him was found dug up by Herveaux and Russell was gone."

"How is that possible?" Eric's voice deepened, the seriousness of the situation finally hitting him. "We encased him in concrete, bound with a silver chain…"

"I know, I was there."

"Who did it?"

"I don't know…"

Eric smiled in disbelief, "You're telling me that psychopath is free and you have no idea who dug him up. There had to be camera's in that parking lot."

"They had all been disabled on that floor."

"Then there should be finger prints…"

"The place was clean…"

Eric's mind span, "Why didn't you come to Fangtasia and tell me as soon as you found out. I should have been informed of this instantly."

"So says the man who has been ignoring my urgent emails, calls and texts." Bill bit.

"So says the king who neglects his duty to his subjects, a man who couldn't come and tell his Sheriff the facts but instead sent a trio of girls to do his dirty work for him."

Bill grimaced, "There were only a few people who knew about the burial place."

"Are you insinuating it was me?" Eric asked his face unmoved.

"No for once I don't think you're that stupid. Like me you have your life to lose."

"Then it must have been Herveaux." Eric concluded.

"No I don't believe it was." Bill said sitting down in the chair behind his desk.

Eric rolled his eyes, "because your judgement has always been so spot on in the past... I forget, how did throwing me in a hole filled with cement work out for you?" Eric asked smugly.

"The Were was alarmed when he came to me with the news. Remember Eric he too has his life on the line, he aided in Russell's capture."

"If that is the case, that would leave Sookie…" Eric laughed at the thought, Sookie was made of pretty sturdy stuff but her chipping away at six feet of concrete with a pick axe, 'is quite a nice image', Eric told himself.

"It wouldn't have been her…" Bill dismissed the idea completely.

"Are you trying to tell me it was Ginger?" Eric's eyes widened, "Seriously?"

"Pam." Bill said simply.

Eric's face contorted into a look of further disbelief and anger, "What?"

"She knew…" Bill said calmly.

Eric tapped his foot, "Now I know you're stupid." Taking a second to regain his unfazed exterior, Eric looked Bill dead in the eye, "Pam is my progeny. We have been together for over a hundred years. Releasing Russell would threaten my life, threaten her life, do the math."

"She has motive." Bill leant forward on his desk, "you were going to sacrifice yourself for a human without even thinking of her. Where was the hundred years in that decision?" Eric snarled, "You told her to get from your sight on threat of death and you ignored her for months afterward... Hell hath no fury like a bitch scorned."

Eric glared at Bill with sanguine hate, how he dare doubt Pam. How dare he blame her? "It wasn't her, when she told me about this she was panicked."

Bill huffed, "And that proves her innocence… she could be filled with guilt for an action she now regrets."

"Maybe it was fear, the possibility of losing her whole existence, now its back on track."

"Think about it Eric, who else could it be? Who would do such a thing out of anger? Pam is a vindictive, vengeful vampire at the best of times, if it wasn't for my intervention she would have killed Sookie's friend Tara."

"And she would have fucking deserved it." Eric defended.

"I'm just saying, if she can do something like that, to someone who was part of the group that took away her beauty. What would she do to the maker who abandoned her after over a century together? All because of a half fairy waitress."

A gust of air blew through Bill's hair as Eric flew toward the desk, landing with a pounding fist of anger that dented its top.

"It wasn't her…" Eric snarled.

"She would have been beside herself with anger, she would have had every reason to want to hurt you as much as you were hurting her."

"Not Pam." Eric bit, Bill's word's making sense on some down deep level within him. He believed Pam was capable of such an act but not towards him. Not towards her family.

"Then who?" Bill asked, at a loss for another culprit.

"Not PAM!" Eric growled in an alpha male tone.

"There are some things that make progeny's break, look at Lorena and I."

"We are nothing like you and your dead sadist bitch of a maker…" Eric threw a glare Bill's direction to compare the two relationships was just retarded.

Pressing his finger to the intercom button on his desktop phone Bill called, "Shauna?"

Click.

"_Yes Mr. Compton Sir."_

_Click._

"Can you go get Jessica and ask her to come to my office."

Click.

"_Yes, right away sir."_

Click.

Eric's head ached with the information overload. How could Russell be free? How could Bill think it was Pam? Even if it was Pam, she would have been beside herself but she still never would have done something as foolish as releasing a man who'd want her and her maker dead. "It couldn't be Pam…" Eric said mindlessly, letting his inner thoughts escape his mouth.

Standing up Bill paced, "Who else could it be? Who else has such a motive?"

"If… and I mean if, she had released Edginton she wouldn't be alive now. She helped me send him out into the sun. He would have killed her instantly."

"Unless she made a deal with him while he was still bound with silver."

"He would have just killed her when he was released."

"He would have been weakened, by a year without food or movement." Bill commented. "He wouldn't have been able to kill her."

"Pam is 140 years old, Russell is older than me." Eric stated, "It's-not-her."

"We'll see about that." Bill said, as the door to the office swung open once more, bashing into the table behind, revealing Jessica behind it.

"You summoned…" She said slamming the door behind her.

"Come…" Bill beckoned with a finger.

Walking to beside Eric, Jessica nodded her head, "Eric." Sharing a look of loathing for their situation.

"Young one..." Eric said with a nod.

"Jessica…" Bill called, "sit…" pointing at the couch. Jessica rolled her eyes, obliging her maker's wishes.

"Have I done something wrong?" Jessica asked in an expectant tone as she sat on the long black couch.

"It depends, did you dig up Russel Edginton?" Eric blurted.

"Eric!" Bill blurted.

"No…" Jessica exclaimed alarmed by the question, "Why would I do something like that…Wait Russell Edginton is Free?"

"Yes." Bill answered there was no point in keeping it from her anymore.

"How? I thought you buried him under concrete?" Jessica's face conveying her confusion and fear.

Eric sighed, "We did."

"Jessica, how did you know about Russell?" Bill asked taking a seat beside his progeny.

"I didn't."

"You told Pam…" Eric said glancing down at the pair on the couch.

Jessica shook her head from side to side, "No I didn't, that girl…" Arya's face filled Jessica's memory but her name eluded her, turning to Eric, "Brunette, beautiful, lavender dress…"

Eric sighed, "Snovit."

"No …"

"Yes…" Eric stared at Jessica.

"Real name?" Bill commanded.

Eric glared, "Arya…"

"Who is she?" Bill asked, shifting forward on the couch cushions edge.

Jessica looked at Bill, "She's Pam's…" Jessica frowned she couldn't remember who Arya was to Pam.

"She's Pam's?" Bill looked to Eric.

"She's Pam's…" Eric said turning away from the couch.

"Pam's what?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Eric shook his head, "That doesn't matter now…"

"It was like she plucked the thoughts right out of my mind," both sets of male eyes fell upon the young red head, "she told Pam that I overheard you and that Were who likes Sookie talking and that you mentioned Russell, that's all."

"This, Arya, can read minds…" Bill fixed his eyes on Eric.

"Later…"

"No now, a new mind reader should always be declared to…"

"The sheriff of the area, and who is that? Oh yeah me." Eric snapped, "Seriously you're more concerned by the presence of a new telepath in town, than the psychopath that's free? Priorities…"

"I am King…!" Bill stood up sharply.

"And don't you like to remind us…" Eric rolled his eyes.

"Eric."

"Highness?"

The pair glared at eachother.

"Wait." Bill turned back to Jessica, "you said you never said anything about Russell being free?"

Jessica shook her head, "I didn't have to say anything, that _hot_ girl told her everything I know." Jessica smiled at the thought of Arya, slapping her hand over her mouth just as her fangs popped out.

Turning to Eric, Bill pointed, "You told me Pam told you about Russell being free…"

"Yes, you're listening well, well done."

"Jessica or this Arya made no mention of Russell being free." Bill said smugly.

Eric crossed his arms, "So..? It's not hard to join up, Were plus panic plus Russell equals Edginton being free."

"Or did she know…" Bill surmised.

Looking between the two vampires, Jessica was confused, "Can I go?"

Bill nodded, "you may leave, but not the house."

"What?" Eric exclaimed as Jessica rose to her feet, "So it's all right for you to dump the whole blame on my progeny, without really questioning your own."

Jessica's eyes widened as she stared at Bill, "Wait you think Pam freed Russell.

"It's a possibility…" Bill walked back to his desk.

"No it's not, Bill are you crazy?" Jessica glowered at her maker, "Pam may do many questionable things but releasing that nut job? She's many things but she's not stupid."

Eric smiled at Jessica who looked at him with compassionate eyes, "I've always told Pam you were smarter than you looked."

Jessica's face contorted into a look of confusion, what did that last comment mean? "Accusing Pam is like accusing me, we have too much to lose if Russell really is free."

"You should listen to her Bill, the girl speaks sense." Eric liked the thought that Compton's own child was on his and Pam's side.

Bill rolled his eyes, "You should go get ready for ground." Bill said sitting into his chair.

"Bill..!"

"Good morning Jessica…" Bill cast his eyes up at his peeved child.

Turning on her heel Jessica, looked at Eric, giving him a slight smile before storming to the door. Grabbing the handle Jessica pulled it with enough force it came slightly off the hinges, taking a deep breathe Jessica looked at Bill with pure disgust, "You can be a complete retarded asshole sometimes!" Jessica smiled, leaving the room instantly.

The room fell quiet as Bill and Eric tried to absorb what had just happened.

'Pam's right she is having a beneficial effect on her…' Eric chortled internally, at how proud Pam was at her effort.

"You should go too…" Bill added, breaking the silence.

Eric put his hands in his pockets, "I'm not leaving until you realise this has nothing to do with Pam."

"She will be questioned as a suspect, as will you, ginger, Jessica, Alcide, Sookie…"

"And you?"

Bill's picked up a pen, "including me."

"I know it wasn't her. Pam wouldn't do something like this. As such I welcome you to fangtasia after closing, around one; neither I nor Pam has anything to hide." Eric felt a twinge of doubt in his stomach, the allegations niggling away. Turning on his heel, Eric walked toward the half broken door, placing his hand on door handle; Eric yanked it fully off its hinges throwing the door backward into the room.

"Eric… If the investigation finds something, whoever the culprit is, the punishment is the true death."

Taking a deep breathe, Eric stood taller once more, "Good morning King Bill…" Eric said like a man pissed off and trouble as he disappeared off into the darkness once more.

…

**Hey everyone. I want your opinion on something, since HBO released the promo for Eric and Pam I've wanted to write it into the story in some way. So I have two ideas, either I take the words and run them down a path that is more angst and destructive to the Pam and Eric relationship, so there'll be another pushing apart and coming back together story line.**

**Or, the other idea is that Eric asks Pam if she released Edginton and they have a brief argument but Eric believes Pam and they put on a show for Bill's benefit, so he'll believe it wasn't Pam. Because In my story it's not Pam who released Russell. **

**It's really hard to explain without writing and posting both storylines, so if you get the jist of what I'm trying to say, please tell me which one you'd prefer to see. Thanks.**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"Good morning…" Pam greeted an empty room, "Arya?" Walking into the centre of the lavishly decorated cream, deep purple and gold room Pam threw a hand on to her hip as she looked around with confusion. Arya was nowhere to be found. "Arya?" Pam called, her tone a pitch higher than she'd intended.

Clap!

Pam clapped her hands forcefully, the motion taking the energy out of the lights around her. Closing the door to Arya's room, Pam started down the hall to her own. Everything around her seemed more vibrant, as though the colours in the wall paper and paint had had their saturation levels turned up, like the crystal items gleamed brighter and the polished items shone greater. Passing through the door way into her chamber Pam was met once more with an empty room, a shot of dread darting at her heart. "Arya?" Pam's voice cracked as the thought that tonight had just been an illusion passed through her mind.

"What?" She shouted from down the hall, her words following her as she sped to Pam's side, "What's up?" Arya asked rubbing at her face with a wet wipe.

Pam felt calm wash through her, returning her to her usual composure. "I was just… nothing."

"I had to take this gunk off my face. I bought new waterproof mascara which evidently does what it promises. This stuff doesn't even come off in the shower." Arya looked at the slightly blackened wipe, "I am really here you know… no mirage, no dark magic trying to trick you. Just me." Arya smiled lovingly at the woman who had given her, her chance to live.

"I know that…" Pam said with the shrug of the shoulders, like she'd never worried that she wouldn't be. Wandering into her room, Pam unzipped her dress, looking back over her shoulder, "You look so young without makeup."

"Once upon a time I was young." Arya said tossing her hair up into her famous messy bun as she sway through the doorway.

"You are still young; you're only just over eighty." Pam worked her arms out of the arm holes letting the dress fall down to her waist.

"I'm older than my grandmother was when she was killed." Arya's eyes dropped to the floor as the painful memories of that night jabbed at her brain relentlessly. Shaking her head to clear the vivid images that plagued her, Arya looked up at her maker who looked concerned. "Nice bra…" Arya said staring at the light blue bra with cream trim, admiring even more what it was holding.

"Agent Provocateur…" Pam drawled.

"You don't say…" Arya mimicked Pam's smooth Southern drawl.

In all the time they'd known one another there had been no dwindling within their sexual chemistry, Pam and Arya were very into each other. From that night all those years ago in Ireland their connection was instantaneous and unbreakable and for many years the pair had been partners in every way possible. One always the ying to the other's yang.

Pam felt serotonin course through her being, it was nice to know after all the years apart that Arya still found her appealing in every way…. 'It's seems absence did make the hearted grow fonder' Pam told herself in the most congratulatory of tones.

"Oh it did…" Arya winked playful at Pam's thoughts, which were all audible to her specialness.

Pam smirked, as she walked into her closet returning with two boxes, one black, one white.

"More presents?" Arya asked sitting on the edge of Pam's bed.

"Just two little something's to mark the day." Pam smiled widely, laying the boxes on the bed.

"Ying or yang?" Arya questioned her finger flitting from the white to the black.

"Ying…"

Tossing the lid of the white box aside Arya unfolded the ivory coloured crepe paper revealing a lavender coloured two piece lingerie set. Lifting the babydoll style short dress out by the straps, Arya observed the large amount of translucent fabric, everything bar the bra like top, the separate pair of French panties and the frill at the bottom was made of this shimmery chiffon. Smiling up at her maker, Arya saw Pam's eyes sparkle at the copy and pasted image of Arya in the small outfit, "You're going to keep me in this colour for a while aren't you?" Pam's face read maybe. "It's beautiful…"

"I thought you could match your room on your first night home."

"I could indeed…" Arya nodded, dreaded the next few months spent in lavender, her subconscious mind going through her closet, she had only four lavender items.

Pam edged the yang box forward, "and this is for a night when you're not so tired."

Throwing the black box's lid excitedly into the corner of the room, the box revealed a blood red two set, a balconette bra with Brazilian bottoms. Looking up from her hot little number in the box, Arya looked at Pam with playfully, disappointed eyes. "I wish it could be tonight." Her tone somewhat hopeful.

"You are going to sleep today." Pam said authoritatively as she negotiated the rest of her dress off her body, stepping out from the puddle of fabric that surrounded her ankles. "There's plenty of time for…" Pam stopped mid-sentence, her eyes falling upon the most fantastic sight. Somehow, in the fraction of the second Pam had looked away Arya had changed into her lavender gift. The fit was immaculate, hugging her womanly breasts in the way Pam had hoped it would, the frill edge of the dress just grazing the middle of her thigh, her hour glass figure revealed just enough through the shimmering chiffon.

"What do you think?" Arya asked biting her lip as she swished the pleats at the dress' bottom.

Pam smirked, her eyes lustful, "You're not bad I supposed."

"Right back at you." Arya grinned bashfully at a semi dressed Pam, the removed dress revealing the matching bottom to her bra.

The two women admired each other's beauty. Each slowly sauntering toward the other, memories of shared moments with their bodies flying through their minds; as they stood a hand's touch distance apart, Arya gazed up into Pam's cool eyes, "Imagine if Eric walked in right now."

Twirling a finger round one of Arya's curls, Pam smiled, "He's gone to Bill's so her won't be back until sun down."

Arya's expression changed, stepping a pace back from her maker, "Is he going to listen?"

"He said he would…" Pam's eyebrows furrowed, as she felt the mood distinguish. Extending her arms around Arya's neck, she embraced her tightly. "We weren't meant to be doing _this…"_

"We haven't done anything yet…" Arya corrected as she slid her arms around Pam's narrow waist.

"We won't be doing anything Arya, you need a good days sleep, there's always eternity for the other." Looking at the clock on the wall, '4:30 am', Pam told herself feeling Arya snuggled deeper into the embrace, her eyes growing heavier in the comfort of her makers touch. "Don't fall asleep on my shoulder…"

"But you're so comfortable."

Pam laughed, placing a hand on the back of Arya's head she place a kiss on its side before releasing her exhausted child from within her grasp, pushing her from her just a little. Lifting her weary head with a finger, Pam whispered, "Go to ground Arie."

Rolling her head in a circle, Arya's arms dropped from Pam's waist, "fine…" Arya pursed her lips with disappointment already knowing the answer to her question, "Can I sleep with you?"

"No, I think you'd die from the excitement…" Pam smirked, "You are…"

"Not sex…" Arya rolled her eyes, "I just want to be near you." Arya said gazing up at Pam, batting her eyelashes in an attempt to seduce her. It usually worked in her favour.

"Don't even…"

"What?" Arya asked in the most simple of tones, forcing her puppy dog eyes.

"Don't do the eye thing." Pam said assertively.

"Is it so bad for me to want to be need you after 30 years?"

Pam looked down at the disappointed heart shaped face, "If we are in the same bed, sleeping will not occur." Pam's eyebrow rose, "and you know it."

Arya looked away at wall, lips pouted in a way Pam found cute. Leaning forward Pam caught Arya's head between her hands, pulling it into her own, placed a kiss upon Arya's rose bud mouth. The two of them getting lost in the electric feeling for a long moment. Pulling away Pam pointed at the door.

"God fine…" Arya rolled her head in exasperation her body spinning after is, "If you don't want me to want to sleep with you in any way, you should try being less irresistibly beautiful." Arya gave note, wagging her finger as she sauntered out through the door, "Think about it."

"Good night _sweetheart_" Pam teased.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah whatever." Arya's voice echoed down the high ceilinged hall before…

BANG!

Her bedroom door slammed shut. Pam smirked to herself, rolling her eyes, "Sometimes it's like having a teenager." She laughed.

As dawn grew ever nearer, Pam tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable spot in the darkness. Flopping onto her back, she let out a defeated sigh, there was no slumber in her. "This is so annoying."

Pam's mind was 100% awake even though the bleeds had appeared to defy that feeling. The night had been a long one, the dread, the happiness, the confusion, the shock but most of all the overwhelming happiness. Tossing onto her side once more, Pam faced the door that stood only a few feet from the room where her child lay on the verge of sleep.

The house creaked, the plumbing clanked as the world began to shut off. The noise oddly soothing to Pam's mind, she found a pattern of notes within the clicks and clacks.

"Sod it, I can't do it." Arya said arriving in the bed beside Pam followed by a gust of air and the loud bang of the door as it swung shut. Lying face to face and nose tip to nose tip, they waited silently for the bed sheet to flutter back down on top of them.

"What are you doing?" Pam asked her tone completely deadpan.

"I couldn't sleep." Arya said her aquatic eyes fixed on the blue ones that stared back.

"I felt you slipping…"

"And I felt you thinking."

"So I kept you awake?" Pam's right eyebrow shot up as she saw her child's eyes smiled.

"Yes you did… naughty, naughty Pam."

"You are disobedient toward your maker."

"And you are selfish toward your progeny."

"Bitch please!" The duo chortled.

Leaning their foreheads against one another's Pam and Arya felt themselves relax. An ease of mind and mutual soul befalling them both.

"We could have had this nearly two hours ago if you had just said yes." Arya noted.

"All right smart ass." Pam said bumping her forehead into Arya's.

The two sets of aquatic eyes smiled at each other with gleeful happiness.

"It's nice to feel your happiness maker of mine." Arya yawned, feeling the looming dullness of sleep.

Pam brushed a stray curl behind Arya's ear, the sweet motion stirring Arya's eyes to open lazily.

"Happy Birth, Death day." Arya smiled tiredly, a goofy drunk kind of a smile that made Pam grin. A breeze of calm ecstasy blowing through her blood as her child slipped deeper and deeper into the sleep Pam knew she needed to get. "Do you feel the dawn coming Snow?"

"mmmhmmm…" Arya hummed, the state of dead unconsciousness drawing the curtain.

Pam brushed her nose against the sleepy brunette's, feeling the draw of dawn finally tickle at her own body. "I'm so happy you're home." Pam declared, no noise leaving her mouth.

'I love you Pam…' Arya shared mentally, her cerebral voice caressing Pam's mind with the word's she loved to hear.

Laying her hand in Arya's Pam whispered, "I love you too."

"Good…" Arya uttered finally as her mind became quiet at last.

Closing her eyes Pam let the call of dawn overtake her, thinking only of her child as she drifted off into her own day of rest.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

. Tap.

Sookie look out through the doorway of her lounge toward the front door, who the hell was calling at 5:30 in the morning.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Jumping from her seat on the sofa, Sookie rushed toward the door, "Just a minute…" She called grabbing her baseball bat from its hiding place behind the coat rack. Moving nearer to the lace curtained covered window, Sookie gazed at a well-built chest.

"It's Eric." Eric said bending slightly as to show his face.

"What are you doing here at this time of the night?" Sookie asked tapping the baseball bat gently against the side of her foot.

"I seek refuge from the sun."

Sookie felt her eyes blink erratically at the wording of Eric's last sentence, sometimes she forgot how old Eric was. Pursing her lips Sookie felt a wave of anger wash over her, "What if I don't want you taking refuge in my house?"

"Technically it's my house…" Eric reminded, "I just thought I'd do the decent thing and ask your permission."

Tapping her foot on the floor, Sookie's frustration grew, she didn't want him in _her _house. In fact Eric Northman being around her in anyway was a huge no no.

"I know about Edgington, I've been to Bill's." Eric said his tone monotone, as the door swung open display the petit blonde in its frame.

"Bet you're glad you sent me home now huh?" Sookie smirked, her tone smug and bitter at the memory as she tossed the baseball bat over her shoulder. Eric's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at its presence. "It makes me feel safe when an unexpected visitor turns up at an ungodly hour." Eric's expression didn't change. Sookie rolled her head with resentment, she would rather punch Eric square in the jaw then let him in _her_ house but she couldn't see him face the sun. "Come in." Stepping aside she watched as the handsome blonde Viking enter her house, his steps heavy as though the bore a great weight. "You seem less…" Sookie stopped mid thought as Eric peered down at her, "I don't know, less at ease."

"You got that from watching me enter?" Eric said looking up the stairs he not so long ago carried Sookie up naked.

"I thought things were better between you and Pam."

Looking over his shoulder Eric's face conveyed the same look of vacant confusion Sookie remembered from the night she'd found him on the road.

"How would you know that?" Eric asked his tone as vacant of interest as his face.

"I called twice after that night…" Sookie locked the front door, "I spoke to Ginger who told me, you two were out on business."

Eric gave a nod, "everything is fine…" His head turning away as his thoughts turned back to his conversation with Bill.

"You don't look it."

"I-am-fine-Sookie."

Sookie's eyebrows dug down deep toward her nose. "fine…" throwing her hands in the air, "sorry for caring…" She bit defensively, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I haven't come here to fight with you." Eric said, unclipping to catch to his day space, vanishing inside it quicker that Sookie could register.

Sookie's nostrils flared with anger, stamping her way to the cubby she looked down the hole, watching Eric remove his shirt, "That's just fine, use this place as a glorified resting place."

Looking up into the face of one pissed off blonde, "We can talk if that's what you wish." Looking at the wall in front of him, Eric rolled his eyes, of course they were going to talk Sookie always wanted to talk.

Leaning back from the hole, Sookie breathed deeply, her lips pouting with frustration. She wanted to talk to Eric for months, now she just wanted to beat him with the baseball bat she had in her hands. "We can talk about everything?" Sookie called.

"Yes Sookie, about everything." Eric said as enthusiastically as he could muster.

"You'll listen?" Sookie asked leaning back over the entry to the day space, meeting the eyes of the vampire she felt for.

"If you will…" Eric's eyebrow rose in a way that reminded Sookie so much of Pam.

Leaning back from the entry once more, Sookie pondered the benefits to the conversation they would have. Would it really benefit them to talk about everything? She felt the need to have her say, but she knew that Eric also had the right to have his. 'You got yourself in the mess Sookie, you get yourself out', Sookie heard her grans wise words council her aching mind. Taking a deep breathe, "All right, I'm coming down. Don't try anything funny."

"Bring the bat if you wished." Eric smirked; his voice mocked the idea that a baseball bat would keep her safe against any kind of intruder.

"Shut Up." Sookie bit, not caring for his tone. Laying the bat on the floor outside the cubby, Sookie descended the ladder, catching a glimpse of a topless Eric. 'Oh my… Stop it Sookie.' Sookie scolded herself for liking what she saw, a flutter of lust from the memories of times spent with the deliciously bad Viking making it hard to concentrate.

Noticing Sookie's obverted eyes Eric took the sheet from the bed, wrapping it around his wide, muscular shoulders as he sat on the bed. "How are you?"

"Do you really care or are you just asking because you feel it's the right thing to do?" Sookie asked crossing her arms once more.

"Both." Eric answered honestly.

Leaning back against the ladder, Sookie looked down at the vampire who usually towered over her, "I'm fine…" she shrugged her shoulders, "How's Pam?"

Eric smiled at the words, "She's good." Thinking about what his happily reunited children were up to at that moment.

"What's made her so happy? Apart from getting rid of me and getting you all to herself again…" Sookie looked straight forward, not daring to look Eric in the eye as the words passed her lips.

"Shoes." Eric said, deciding to ignore Sookie's jibe.

"Shoes..?"

"Yes." Sookie's eyes caught onto Eric's, "Pam's quite superficial under that smiley, warm hearted, pink exterior." Sookie's eyebrow rose. "That was sarcasm."

"I got that…"

The part fey human and the vampire looked in opposite directions, standing and sitting in a somewhat awkward silence that grew with each voiceless moment.

"Has Bill said anything more about the Russell situation?" Sookie held up a hand as Eric went to speak, "Oh and for you information, you are both complete bastards for not telling me you didn't kill him."

Eric rolled his eyes, "He believes that one of us, who knew about Russell's presence in Fangtasia, released him." Sookie watched as Eric's eyebrows knitted together, his face becoming hard as he looked the ceiling, "He thinks it was Pam."

"What?" Sookie blurted, her body straightening.

"Precisely my point." Eric felt his stomach flip as the thoughts Bill had implanted within his mind.

"I mean she was beside herself…" Eric stood with vampire speed, shocking Sookie into silence.

"It wasn't her." Eric snarled, his tone grittier than Sookie liked.

"Hey don't snarl at me, I didn't say she did anything."

"You were agreeing…"

"No I was thinking… Am I not allowed to think in my own house anymore?" Sookie said gazing on at an overly sensitive Eric with confusion.

"There are many things people can accuse Pam of being. Rude, crude, insensitive, hostile, non-children friendly, not particularly friendly at all, even homicidal… the list is endless…" Eric's tone softened slightly, "But she is not suicidal… She was one of the few people who would not benefit in anyway if Edgington was free."

"But Bill…"

"But Bill nothing…" Eric fixed his eyes on Sookie's, "He's accusing her without even… Then threatening the true death…" Eric's animalistic growl of frustration rumbled low in his throat, alarming Sookie. "He asked his child three questions and ruled her out. Of course Pam was beside herself. After the weeks of having no one and her face falling apart, I, her maker did something really stupid. I threw her century old devotion in her face, by telling her to get out of my sight before I'd kill her. All because she tried to save me from the true death to save you…" Eric sat back down on the bed, his mood sinking as his body did. "Ginger vows Pam remained at Fangtasia that night."

"Eric you sound…" Sookie paced to steps forward, hesitating to take the third into the edge of the bed, "you sound like you're trying to talk yourself out of the possibility she could have done it."

"No, I'm not, Pam hasn't done anything." Eric's head turned looking up into Sookie's face. "She loves me too much; she loves our life too much." Eric said with conviction and meaning.

Looking down at the vampire she cared for Sookie felt nothing but compassion, not even she thought Pam could do something like this. She'd be risking everything and for what a quick, 'fuck you Eric Northman', no… Sookie sighed, facing the inevitable, having to ask the question that had tortured her to some degree for months.

"Do you think it's all my fault? All of this, like Pam said." Sookie asked, her heart dreading the answer. Although at this moment in time she wasn't the biggest member of Eric's fan club after months of being ignored, she hoped that she hadn't been the cause of all his pain.

"No." Eric said with a smile, "I don't…" Sookie's heart lightened, "It's as much my fault if not more… but ultimately it's that witches. Pam was just…" Eric looked up into Sookie's eyes, hesitation filling them, "angry because I was stupid and failed her."

"But you just said it, she was angry at you for trying to save me… because you chose me over her."

Eric frowned deep; he couldn't believe he'd been that juvenile and that if he'd had his time over again, "Although, I regret with every fibre of my being what happened to Pam, the pain I have caused her… If I had that time over again, without" Eric emphasised the 'without', "all the stuff that happened to Pam. I would do it all again…"

"Eric I…" Sookie stopped mid-sentence as a large hand was held up.

"It's with that realisation that I can't allow myself to love you or for you to love me in anyway, any longer." Eric looked away.

"Eric emotions aren't like bath taps." Sookie took a deep breathe, "You can't just turn them off when the cold water takes out to much of the heat for your liking."

"That was a wonderful metaphor but it doesn't make it any less of a decision that I have made."

Sookie sighed, taking a seat beside Eric on the bed, "What if I can't make that decision? What if I can't just stop loving you? I'm not a vampire who has had centuries to work out my emotions."

"You're already half way there you decided you couldn't be with either of us now all you need to do is forget about what you did feel."

Sookie laid her hand on top of Eric's, "But I do love you."

"But not the way you're meant to…" Eric smiled, defying his tired sad eyes, "I will always have feelings for you Sookie… and I'm ok with that."

"Do you still love me Eric?" Sookie asked.

"Yes…" Eric nodded, "but I love my children more."

Sookie's eyes widened, 'did he just…'

"I understand now that living with and not acting upon my feelings for you, will be my punishment for being selfish and hurting them."

'Them?' Sookie's mind span in circles, with the feeling of understanding for Eric's situation Sookie was hit with a wave of 'what the fuck', 'he said…'

"Children?" Sookie squeaked, holding her chest as the unexpected and uncharacteristically high squeal left her body.

"What?"

"You just said children…" Eric looked as confused as Sookie felt she did, "You said, 'Your love for your children. For hurting them..." Sookie blinked erratically, "Who's them?" She asked her tone eagerly curious.

"skit…" Eric swore to himself aloud, 'Arya's right, you can be completely fucktarded sometimes.' Eric shook his head, in disapproval of his own idiocy.

"Eric?" Sookie prodded.

Eric rolled his eyes, "there's no way Compton isn't going to tell you." Eric cursed his slip of the tongue, "I have a grandchild."

Sookie fought her mouths urge to fall agape, "Grandchild?" Sookie asked bewildered.

"Yes… Arya." Eric smiled at the mental image he held of the youngest of his line.

Sookie's eyes became wild as the realisation overcame her, the shock making her spring to her feet. "Pam's a maker!" Eric nodded simply, a short of smug, proud smirk creeping at the corner if his mouth. "When did this happen?"

"1945."

"1945?"

"You seem surprised?"

"Uh yeah…" Sookie said slack-jawed. "My god, she's nearly my grans age."

"Older." Eric corrected, "Arya was born in 1928."

Sookie felt her mouth drop open, "so she's…" Sookie attempted to move numbers through her mind.

"84…"

"How?" Sookie asked her facial expression as confounded as her tone.

"Well she turned 17 the night she rose, minus that from 1945… gives you 1928, minus 1928 from the current year and you get 84. Or did you mean how did Pam make her? I imagine in the usual way, drink blood, give blood, sleep in a hole then awaken."

"I know how and how…" Sookie sank back down on to the bed; turning her head to Eric Sookie reiterated in the same confused tone, "but _how?"_

"I must admit when I found out the night Pam made her, I did wonder the same thing. How, but mainly why? Especially after… Collin?" Eric queried the name of Pam's first conquest to makerhood.

"Who's Colin?"

"Pam's mistake."

"So Pam has two kids? God damn…"

"No. Colin committed the true death." Sookie's eyes stretched open to their capacity, "Pam was curious as to what it was to be a maker when she was much younger. After a period of newly birthed sex, like many things in this world Pam found Colin tedious. Although…" Eric remembered the boyman like it was yesterday, "he was incredibly needy. She released him after two months and within five more the idiot sent her a letter saying he couldn't live without her," Eric rolled his eyes, "he wrote that if she didn't come back he would commit the true death. Of course he didn't actually mean it, it was all for attention but… his attention seeking behaviour back fired and now Colin is no more." Eric glanced at a confused looking Sookie, "We like to think of Colin as the test run for the real thing."

Sookie's mind reeled at the level of information she'd just received, spinning ever faster over the thought of Pam actually being a maker. It made no sense. Pam with the exception of Eric was completely self-centred and ignorant to the needs and feelings of others. From what Sookie had grasped from her time spent around vampires and their progenies, a significant level of a maker's duty was that of a parental relationship. "I thought there was a level of responsibility of care for a progeny."

"There is… A maker progeny relationship is like no other in this world. To each other they are children, parents, siblings, best friends and often lovers."

Sookie felt her eyelids flutter erratically, "Are we talking about the same Pam?" Sookie enquired dumbfounded.

"Yes." Eric's eyebrow rose, "Why? Do you think that Pam is not a good enough vampire to become a maker?"

"No, I'm not saying that…" Sookie looked at an unconvinced Eric, "Ok maybe I am kind of, but it's just…" Sookie laughed a nervously bemused laugh, "This is Pam we're talking about… she's not a great people person. I've never seen her care about anyone one other than herself and you. She's not exactly the maternal type."

Eric smirked, "No she's not, but once she cares about you and you become part of her world, you are hers… and you are lucky to be." Sookie's eyebrows were knitted together in a permanent statement to her thorough state of confusion. "Arya chose Pam as much as Pam chose Arya."

Sookie found it hard to think of the kind of person who would choose to be with Pam for eternity. Other than Eric of course, but they were part of one another. Pam was bi-product of Eric, his shadow almost, they made complete sense.

"We believe…" Eric's voice caught Sookie's attention once more, "we believe in our family," Eric noted the look of scepticisms that passed over Sookie's face at use of the word 'family', "that makers are destined in some way to find their progenies no matter how long it takes to find them. There's a draw a connection between two beings that is indescribable and unbreakable even before the blood exchange."

"Like love at first sight?" Sookie thought aloud.

Eric's head swayed from side to side, "if you wish to romanticise it, yes I suppose it's like love at first sight." Eric thought about Pam, from the moment he watched her walk away from him in that blue cape all those decades ago, he'd known she was his. "It took me over 900 years of my vampire life to find Pam and although she has tested me in every way imaginable and unimaginable, I wouldn't change my mind. She is mine."

Sookie smiled, no matter how much she disliked Pam, her relationship with Eric was enviably sweet. "So you're saying that Pam had that with Arya?"

Eric nodded, his eyes widening with knowledge, "Oh yes indeed."

"Did you think I could have been…?" Sookie asked, briefly looking at Eric.

"I did for a day but you wouldn't want to be a vampire, you're too human…"

Sookie shuffled where she sat, not knowing whether to be insulted or complimented by Eric's last statement.

"Have you ever thought…other than me for that one day. Have you ever thought of making another child?"

"No, could you imagine Pam's reaction." The two chortled, "She was angry enough when told her I had a little dealing in her child's creation."

"What?"

"Nothing." Eric chastised himself for yet another slip, 'God damn it Eric!'

Sookie felt the conversation die into a silence she didn't want, "What's Arya like?"

"Beautiful." Eric answered honestly, setting a twinge of jealous off inside Sookie. "Then again Pam doesn't do ugly."

"Is she a blonde?" Sookie asked, concentrating of her delivery of the words, trying to keep her tone casual.

"She's the direct opposite. Very dark wavy to curly hair with red tones when she's under light; paler than pale skin and eyes a colour the ocean would envy."

"She sounds like Snow White."

"My pet name for her is Snovit."

"Which means?"

"Snow White."

"Wow…" Sookie almost breathed, "you're a grampa."

"I'm a grand maker." Eric corrected, Grampa sounded so old and stuffy, he may be old but he was in no way stuffy.

"Do you feel her like you feel Pam?" Sookie asked curiously.

Eric gave a dip of the head indicating yes, "She has my blood."

"Literally?"

"Yes." The word rolled from Eric's lips with an animalistic sounding happiness.

Sookie observed the lustful light that filled Eric's eyes, a look she'd seen come her way on more than one occasion. Taking a deep breathe, Sookie braced herself for her next question, her fingertips digging deep into the matress. "Have you two..?" Sookie felt her face redden.

"Sookie Stackhouse I do believe you are blushing." Eric teased.

"No it's just a balmy night. That's all."

Eric smirked internally, 'Miss Stackhouse is jealous… Excellent.' A shot of serotonin coursing its way through Eric's body, "Yes we have, but that was decades ago." Eric said so matter of factly.

"Would you now?" Sookie questioned quicker than her mind could advise her against it. She watched as Eric's face grew in to a wide white smile, he was enjoying the awkward feeling that now filled the same room. Sookie fidgeted, cursing herself for the jealous that had overcome her. "Well…" Sookie slapped her leg, "this has been great, I'm glad Pam's happy and that you're okay and that we've…" Sookie stopped abruptly in her fast paced speech and exit toward the ladder. She smiled, "I'm glad we've had this conversation, at least we both know where we stand." Sookie swayed on her feet, the need to sleep dawning on her. "I'm going to uh…" She pointed at the hole in the ceiling, "I need to go to sleep I've got work in the morning." Sookie mounted the ladder.

"Sookie…" Eric called, catching her attention, "I am sorry if I did hurt you, I didn't mean to."

Sookie felt her heart yearn for the Eric only she had known, seeing Eric sat on that bed they had once slept side by side in her heart warmed, "Goodnight Eric."

Climbing the ladder fast, Sookie left Eric in the little cubby listening to the creek of the floor boards above him.


	34. Chapter 34

**Sorry it takes me so long to update, I've been busy and kind of stuck on the writing front since TB Season 5 has come out and I've been watching religiously and now new ideas and twists on the show are taking over my mind. So sorry I'll try and speed up. Hopefully the next chapter will come out quicker, because I'm excited to write it because it's based on the scene with Eric pining down Pam. Of course the episode were that scene occured has already aired by now (FYI it broke my heart, cried my eyes out and made myself a new rule don't watch True Blood on the train) but my story is completely different because as of now the authority hasn't been featured and Bill is still King… but anything can happen in True Blood . Thanks for reading and making 'Maker's secret' a favourite, means a lot. Peace out trubies.**

**Rwyn dy garu di Eira – Welsh – I love you Snow.**

Chapter 34

The sun still held its presence in the sky as Pam awoke, the need to be awake defied by her heavy and pained eyes. Clapping her hands with all she could muster, Pam gave energy to the lights around her; their initial harsh glare visible through her closed eyes. 'There she is.' Pam told herself, a feeling of contentment filling her, as her open and adjusting eyes fixed onto the slumbering doll like beauty beside her. Running her finger down the length of Arya's petit straight nose, Pam didn't consider her attraction to her progeny. Pam had never considered herself overly romantic or affectionate person or in general, a person who fell in love but with the girl who lay beside her she couldn't help herself, 'just look at that face…' She told herself.

Arya's motionless form looked more like a depiction of Snow White than ever. Her porcelain face emphasised by her dark features, her eyelashes and eyebrows the colour of coal, her hair appearing darker in tone with the integrated amber flares. Pam always considered Arya's face to be her greatest asset not just for its beauty but for its ability to deceive. Pam remember Arya laughing as she likened the sweet looking brunettes face to the 'Trojan horse' that led to the fall of Troy; like that great stratagem Arya's face portrayed the innocence of sweetness of youth but held behind it the ability the make even the toughest of opponents fall. Pam recollected the first time she and Arya had shared a bed through comfort; it was the night that innocent face slipped to show its vengeful side.

…

"Are sure you want to do this?" Pam asked, laying a hand on Arya's unreactive back, her eyes were fixed on the grand stately home that until three days ago had been her lavish prison; the place she'd seen the few people she'd loved killed and her own human life end.

Anger tickled at Arya's mind, a blood rage starting to consume her. "Tonight this will end." Arya spoke with certainty, her eyes intensifying with revenge. Looking up into Pam's eyes Arya smiled, "We'll go in through the side door. The butlers like to sneak a smoke; they leave that door unlocked for their convenience. They wouldn't lock it despite being given orders."

"You're forgetting something." Pam said noticing Arya's eyebrow rise in a questioning manner. "We need to be invited into the house by someone who lives there."

Arya snickered, "The house is mine Pam. The deeds are in my name; my mother signed that house over to me the day after I was born. I think we're good." Stepping out on to the dimly lit gravel path she'd once lay dying on, Arya gazed over at the spot her blood had saturated. It was gone, covered over, as though she'd never been.

Arya felt fingers clasp around her own. "I've been waiting for a night like tonight for decades." Pam stated excitedly, a sanguine smile gracing her face. The thought of killing someone who deserved nothing short of a final, final death filled her with happiness.

Smirking at Pam's excitement Arya closed her eyes briefly, counting the number of brains active within the house. "Ten people."

"They'll be easy to take out."

"Pam, if no one attacks you let them live."

"Why?"

Arya glanced at her maker, a darkness filling her eyes at the thought of her own death, "not everyone deserves to die." Pam's heart sank a little, "Pam I didn't mean you." Arya rolled her eyes at the insensitivity of her delivery, "She murdered me, she took what little I had of a life; You gave me a life, you saved me from the darkness." Arya smiled, as she felt something within Pam lift again, "Don't ever question what you did…" Arya demanded passionately, "I chose you as much as you chose me." Arya squeezed Pam's hand. "And I will always be thankful."

Pam smiled at Arya's words a sense of déjà vu overtaking her as her progeny's sentiment matched those of Pam's own decision to become a vampire, their decisions had been firm from the moment the offer was made. Arya held within her the same passion for her vampire life. Their destinies sealed. "Technically, I delivered you into the eternal darkness of night."

"And it wasn't until you delivered me into _this_ darkness that I saw the light in life." Pam blinked her eyes quickly, the depth of Arya's words taking her by surprise. "I know that becoming a maker isn't an easy decision to make, it's an eternal role that I will always be thankful for." Arya said whole heartedly as they sped toward the side door.

"It wasn't hard for me." Pam dropped the light hearted comment. Gazing at each other for a few moments, the two vampires congratulated themselves on their excellent finds. "Let's do this."

Arya nodded with a smirk, "just follow me…"

….

"Cook!" Ravina, mistress of the house called with an unkind tone; kneeling down beside her husband Ravina watched as he wept for the loss of his family, friends and most of all for his only child, Arya. "There, there darling…" She soothed, running her hand down his head of dark chestnut hair, "their all in a better place now." Glancing over her shoulder briefly she rolled her eyes at having to repeat the empty words she must have utter at least a thousand times since that eventful night three eves ago. "COOK!" She yelled.

"My lady…" The woman of advanced years greeted with a dip of the head.

"Pour a tumbler of whiskey for my husband." Ravina ordered, flicking her black eyes to the blue eyed, greying haired cook.

"Very well m'am." As she walked the short distance to the liquor cart, the cook whose name was Emelia known to most as Auntie Em, cursed the woman with hair as dark as liquorice. Picking up the crystal bottle that held the desired liquid, Emelia uncorked it with vigour not taking her eyes from the woman who had replaced her true mistress. 'She's to blame for all of this.' She told herself tipping the brown liquid into the glass thinking only of the indecency of her situation, here she was fetching and carrying for the woman who put her dearest Geoffry in hospital.

"There, there sweetheart." She heard her soothe.

How could Lord Tomos fall for this woman's tricks? 'If you cut her open she'd have evil written through her bones." He who had so much light in his life, how could he be so blind? How could he leave dear special, young Arya grow under the same roof as such a woman who would kill his wife and family and friends?

'That poor, poor young girl neglected by her father for the love of a woman who is rotten to the core.' Emelia conversed with herself, her mind drifting the now young woman she had help raise. 'Dear, dear Arya…' Tears filled the cook's eyes at the thought of such a special and young life being lost. 'Without knowing what she was, she never stood a chance not even with…' As she replaced the stopper into the bottle Emelia observed the weight of the bottle she'd decanted many times. Peering over her left shoulder, Emelia chastised herself for not acting upon the many occasions she'd had to get rid of the woman who sat disingenuously comforting the man whose daughter she'd gotten rid of.

"Cook. The whiskey." Ravina commanded.

"Coming m'am." Picking up the tumbler, Emelia walked the few paces, extending the hand with the glass into the hand of the woman she hated more than anyone or anything.

"It's about time." The deep eyed mistress bit, snatching the glass before relaying it into her husband's hand.

"You'll get what you deserve." The cook said mindlessly aloud.

"What did you say?" Ravina's asked, turning her head slowly to look at the hard working woman she had no compassion for.

"I said I better get back, to the kitchen, dinner will be ready to serve." Emelia covered convincingly.

"Then go." Ravina said with a dismissing twitch of an eyebrow.

"Very well." Spinning on her heel the cook's legs walked with unexpected energy, they propelled her toward the door quicker than they usually did. Clutching the doorknobs, Emelia took a look at the couple who sat before the fire. Her mind taking a mentally image, 'Change was coming.' Click.

Ravina tapped her fingernails on the arm of the chair her husband sat in, "We'll have to do something about her." She stated, looking up at her husband who sat staring into space. "She's getting too old for such a job with such high responsibility."

"She's fine as she is."

Ravina pursed her lips with displeasure, "We'll talk about that later, now then, come on darling, we must get you ready for dinner."

"I'm not hungry." Lord Tomos said ignoring the hunger pains that churned in his stomach.

"You must eat something sweetheart; you'll waste away if you aren't careful."

"I'm not hungry!" Tomos growled aggressively, launching the tumbler filled with whiskey he hadn't wanted or asked for hurtling into the fire with a BANG! So loud Ravina fell to her backside.

"What is the matter with you?" Ravina asked from her position on the floor.

Tomos' head swung violently in the direction of his wife, "What's the matter?" He asked her question in a response of disbelief. "My daughter is gone… my wife is gone, my mother is in hospital. What's right about this situation dear?"

Ravina clambered to her feet, "Tom, sit down…"

"I care not to sit; I care about finding our child." Tomos turned her the fire, using its mantel to assist his standing form.

Ravina's eyes narrowed, her nostril's flaring in disbelief. That girl's name haunted her even from the grave. "Do you think Arya would want you acting like this?" Ravina asked, with false care. "Breaking things, crying, shouting at your wife? Throwing flammable liquid on to a fire. Do you think she'd want that?"

"Actually if he'd thrown the glass directly at you…" The two adult head's swung in the direction of the familiar feminine voice, their eyes widening in shock at the sight that lay before them. "That would have made my hour."

"Arya?" Her father asked as he looked upon the two glowing beings, one of whom was the image of his daughter.

"It can't be…" Ravina muttered under her breath in shock. 'She should be dead.' Ravina told herself, glancing at her silk covered hands for the confirmation that her thought was the truth.

"Is it really you?" Tomos asked pushing himself away from the grand fire place, before pacing forward to steps to admire the daughter he thought he'd never see again.

"In a matter of speaking..." A smirk graced the corner of Arya's mouth as she fixed her eyes on Ravina colour drain from her face.

"You… you can't be here…" Ravina stuttered, "You're suppose…d to be dead."

"Surprise…" Arya held up her two hands, fanning her fingers, a full out grin spreading across her face as she watched her step mother's nerves fracture more and more by the minute; noticing the silk and velvet gloves that covered her hands that held her nervous stomach.

"Thank god…" Her father rejoiced, moving forward until his arms wrapped around his child's body, squeezing her tightly in an embrace Arya hadn't had since she was small. Looking up from the top of his daughter's head, Tomos gazed at the angelic blonde woman who stood just behind her. "And you my lady thank you, kind soul for returning our daughter to us."

Pam's eyebrow rose with a judgemental air. Pulling out of the embrace, Arya clutched Pam's hand in her own, stepping back to stand beside her maker, "She is my saviour." Arya said without a hint of sarcasm or irony.

"Well thank you," Tomos said whole heartedly, "I don't think there's anything I could give you that would give you as much joy as I have right now. She is my greatest gift." Tomos smiled, "but if there is anything you need or wish for, just speak and it shall be yours."

"I need nothing; I've already got everything I need." Pam glanced down at Arya, who smiled up at her with her eyes.

Nodding his head with a sense of understanding, Tomos turned to his wife calling, "Darling come embrace our child."

"She's not my child." Ravina's voice vibrated with anxious energy. Something wasn't right, the air felt dense with eerie sense of what shouldn't be.

"Oh now mother that's not a very nice thing to say…" Arya taunted with the words she'd swore she'd only say over…

"You just called her mother." Tomos stated with shock, instantly praising himself for his years of perseverance.

"I made Ravina a deal Papa…" Arya watched as the realisation of the truth spread across Ravina's face.

"Which was?"

"I promised the day I'd call her mama would be over my…"

"Dead body." Ravina finished the sentence, her body becoming ridged.

"What?" Tomos chortled at the ridiculous teenage tantrum scenario. "That's completely ridiculous, you look the picture of health, if not a little on the pale side but you have always had the fairest skin." Running a finger down the cheek of his child, Tomos felt a shiver ripple through him. "You're so cold." He stated, his look of glee changing into one of concern and seriousness. Looking into his daughters eyes, Tomos found a light and energy he'd never seen in them before. "What happened to you?"

Arya's eyes narrowed, "Your wife did." Arya whispered in a cold icy tone. Looking past her father Arya peered at her step mother with a furious energy that insisted to bubble more violently from her core. Listening into Ravina's thoughts Arya rejoiced at the high level of anxiety that had befallen her ex-dictator.

Ravina felt increasingly nauseous, her mind spinning, her stomach tossing. This wasn't possible, '6 times' she repeated to herself the number of times she'd plunged the knife deep. 'No one can live; they told me she would die.' Ravina pointed a shaking finger in Arya's direction, "You can't be here, you're supposed be dead."

"Ravina?" Tomos watched on as his second wife grew paler and increasingly fidgety. "What does she mean?" He asked confused by all the women around him.

Looking between the three other people in the room, Ravina fretted, a madness taking over her brain. "She's meant to be dead. She's meant to be dead. She's meant to be dead." She repeated, her eyes burrowing into her husband, her face contorting with panic.

"I don't understand…" Tomos said simply. The thoughts being implied by his daughter and now his wife's reaction too hard to comprehend.

Whoosh!

A gust of air made Tomos blink, his action making his daughter disappear from the spot on which she stood to the place she now stood in front of Ravina. "Don't worry Ravina, I am dead." Arya laughed, her eyes growing wild with excitement and glee.

Glancing at Pam who stood with her arms crossed over her chest with a smile on her face, Tomos asked, "How did she move so fast?"

"Why mother dear, those are very nice gloves to be wearing for a casual dinner at home." Arya taunted, moving into Ravina's personal space. Glancing over her shoulder Arya smiled briefly at her dumbfounded father, "Has she shown you her hands yet Papa?" Arya asked mischievously holding up one of Ravina's arms easily as her step mother tried to fight past her strength. "No? She can be such a kill joy." Tearing the glove from the arm she held, Arya revealed a hand stained red. "Caught red handed." Arya waved Ravina's hand at her father, "I supposed mass murder would leave a mark on even the darkest of souls or…" Arya stopped midsentence contemplating her next sentence as she watched blood begin to run down Ravina's hand, "it could be the power you told me to forget I have." Arya looked at her father with contemptuous eyes.

"They told me I'd gain your power from your blood."

Arya's head flicked back to her step mother, pulling her in closer, "And yet here we are, your hands stained forever with my blood and yet have you had a premonition?" Ravina shook her head indicating no. "Does nature speak to you? Can you read people's minds?" Ravina shook her head once more. "How much did you pay that divine oracle of yours to tell you a load of shit?"

"Arya, watch your…" Tomos started to say.

"Shut the fuck up!" Arya bit back with words that shocked her father to silence. "You have no idea how many times I have wanted to say that to you. Fuck off, fuck up, and open your fucking eyes. Just Fucking Listen!" Arya's face became blank, "but you didn't."

"What are you saying Arya?" Her father asked.

Rolling her eyes, "You are a useless father." Pam stated.

"I beg your pardon?" Tomos asked shocked, "Who are you to say that to me?"

Pam chortled to herself, "You broke your promise to your first wife, by letting that woman rule over you and _your_ child." Tomos face looked pained at the stranger's words. "You brought that high functioning psychopath into the house in the first place. As a helper to your late wife, a ladies maid who by no means stood up to the beauty of the woman who wore your ring but she was a pleasant enough piece of skirt you could admire from afar. Although I know, I probably can't completely hold you responsible for your behaviour because I realize it was probably caused by childhood trauma; something to do with your parents spanking you excessively when you fell on your head and broke the cement. I'm just guessing; But you ignored all signs of _her_,' Pam cocked her head in the general direction of wife two, "involvement in your first wife's death and welcomed her into your bed no long later. From that day your child has been fighting for you to see her, the real her. The child you once marvelled at, the child who reminded you of the love of your life; but you neglected Arya, you neglected to encourage and except her powers; you taught her that all she was good for was marriage, breading and looking pretty. By letting that woman into your life you denied your child of a life of her own, you condemned her to a life of loneliness and misery. At the age of four she would have been better off if you had died too. "

"How dare you!" Tomos spat defensively.

"No…" Pam edged forward, "How dare you… I had a father like you once." Pam smirked at thought of escaping her father, "He was a blind bastard toff just like you, and he preached and controlled every aspect of my life just like that woman over there has had you doing for the past seventeen years; but I escape him in the best possible way, I won and so will your daughter."

"And I suppose she'll do that with you." Tomos said sceptically, his tone bitter.

"I already have." Arya replied.

Pam smiled, "Your, greedy, power hungry whore of a second wife killed your only child…" Pam looked at the poor excuse for a father with distaste, "not to mention your first wife, your mother, your first wife's father and a selection of you friends but here you are staring at me with eyes so angry they could burn me if I cared, still not hearing that your _wonderful_ choice in women has stolen everything that once made up your world." Pam words dripped with a sincerity and sarcasm that resonated a deeper understanding within Tomos making him flinch, the sickening realisation making him feel faint.

Pam looked at Arya whose face looked saddened by the truths spoken.

"Your wife over there set that whole robbery situation three nights ago. She stabbed your daughter six times in the stomach with a hunting knife from your collection." Pam's tone became deeper and passive aggressive.

"She left me to die on the gravel path outside, lying there in a pool of my own blood." Arya spoke finally, releasing her grip on her step mothers arm. Turning to face her father fully, Arya could feel tears build increasingly in her red rimmed eyes which locked on to her father's. "I would have died alone on that path, in the darkness, like I meant nothing to no-one… If it wasn't for Pam." Tomos watched as his daughter's face lightened at the mention of the blonde woman's name.

"She's a ghost." Ravina's bottom lip quivered as she spoke

"Ha, ha, ha, ha ,ha." Pam spat out a laugh that made Arya giggle, a reaction that made the two humans flinch.

"We're not ghouls you stupid woman." A gust of cool air blew Ravina's hair back over her shoulder as she felt her feet leave the ground. "Could a ghost do this?" Arya asked quizzically, squeezing Ravina's neck slightly. "You see after you left me dying on that path, the beautiful Pam over there" Arya turned sideways enough for Ravina to be able to see Pam clearly, "gave me a choice; 'To be or, not to be.' That was her question." Arya's voice morphed into a posh plum English accent momentarily. Feeling a tug at her shoulder, Arya threw back her arm tossing the mass of flesh she imagined was her father backward. Pulling her step mother into her face, "I chose to be. Forever." Arya whispered in a low tormenting tone, her fangs extending fully, their appearance making Ravina gasped with what little breathe she could spare.

"Argh!" Arya screamed, releasing her grasp on Ravina's throat dropping her to the floor with a thud. Ravina watched smoke billow from Arya neck and shoulder area as she crawled backward coughing. The pain burning with an intensity Arya had only felt once before, all of three days ago.

"Still favouring the murderous I see…" Pam caught Tomos around the neck with an arm, tearing him away from his daughter with little effort, "Arya you have to remove it." Pam prompted; reaching her hand to the offending area Arya prepared herself, '5,4,3,2,1'. Pam watched as Arya tore away the silver crucifix from her neck and shoulder with a blood thirsty chucking it into the fire. "Although, call me curious but how did you know silver would work?"

"My wife was a being of magic. A secretive one at that. I've read every book on the supernatural I could lay my hands on, trying to figure out what she is, what Arya is. I know a vampire when I see one." Tomos said with conviction.

"So you're an educated idiot." Pam smiled, "Fantastic."

Climbing to her feet, Arya flexed her healing neck muscles, "You still chose her?" Arya span on her heal revealing her blood tear stained face to her alarmed father. Arya's shoulders rocked forward, her head tilted downward with the pain in her neck, but her big blue green eyes still stayed fixed on her father. "You silvered me." Arya felt the blood in her veins boil.

"I couldn't let you kill her."

"She killed ME!" Arya shouted cholerically, the height of her anger finally registering with her father. Arya noticed the door handle move; with a twirl of a finger, Click. She locked the door from the inside.

"Arya…" Pam spoke in an assertive tone. Around them the lights flickered, the crystal in the cupboards clinked against one another, 'here we go.' Pam braced herself.

"Through all these years, I have hoped that somehow she had you under a spell, that her dark heart had control over you." Arya stood up straighter as the last of her skin healed. "Now I see you just didn't care enough. You're an ostrich; you stick your head in the sand because to see the truth would inconvenience you." Arya took an unnecessary breathe, calming herself slightly. Lowering her head to the floor, Arya blinked back tears, "She took everything you love and destroyed it for her own selfish needs Papa; she killed the supposed _love_ of your life, my mother, the one person who could have helped me with this." Arya looked up at the lights her emotions caused to flicker. "I don't know who or what I am because I wasn't allowed to find out. She stole Mama and she stole you." Arya felt a red tear leave her eye, wiping it away instantly. The smell of her own blood making her hungry. "She has plagued my whole life and you let her," Arya nodded, a smile flickering on and off her face within seconds. "But not anymore..." Arya smiled a dark, fang filled smile.

"Arya, I'm…"

"Sorry?" Arya read her father's remorseful thoughts, rolling her eyes. "Pam let him go." Pam dropped her arm allowing Tomos to move; his first thought to grab his sore and soon to be bruised throat.

"I have failed you."

"Yes you have." The maker and progeny confirmed in unison.

"I am so sorry my child." Arya felt his words soothe one of the many of her wounds; he spoke with all his heart. Walking into his daughter's personal space, 'She looks so much like her mother.' Tomos reached out his hand towards Arya's doll like face watching as his child reclined from its touch.

"Save your apologies for your next wife and off spring." Arya looked at Pam briefly, "Sorry might have meant something to the Arya who was locked inside this prison but I'm free now, sorry means nothing."

"Arya…"

"To answer your question, yes Pa I will always love you, there's a default mechanism within me to love you, call it my glutton for punishment. I guess that's part of my baggage." Arya looked at a startled Tomos and Pam.

"I thought you agreed you'd stay out of my head?" Pam's eyebrow flew high in disapproval of the invasion of her thoughts.

"You may as well have said it out loud." Arya's eyebrow matched Pam's at the height of disapproval.

BANG! BANG!

"ARGH!" Father and daughter cried out, an indescribable pain overcoming them both; their two forms falling into the other.

Looking in the direction from which the bangs originated, Pam caught the eyes of a pistol baring Ravina. "You stay right there you being of Satan." Ravina pointed the gun directly at Pam, her hands trembling. Pam chuckled to herself, a reflex that unnerved the already highly strung and nervous Ravina. "I will shoot you."

Pam stopped laughing, her eyes narrowing. Ravina felt the gun fly from her hand, the being falling forcibly to the floor. The blonde stood before her, towering above her floored person.

"You know people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Pam smirked. "Arya you ok?"

Arya held her stomach, "This is the second dress she's ruined." Peering at the wound that was already starting to heal, she gritted her teeth as she stumbling back to her feet. Straightening her form till she stood with her usual posture, Arya rolled her shoulders, grumbling in pain as the moment irritated the wound.

"I shot her, she should die." Ravina said joyously.

"You hit your husband you complete and utter fucktard." Pam bent forward grabbing Ravina by her dress, yanking her upward into her grip.

Ravina's stomach tossed, "Tomos?" She called.

Arya looked down at the floor, where her father's body lay contorted in pain. "Pa?" Arya dropped to her knees, realising the bullet had travelled through her into her father. Arya bit her wrist instinctively, 'Vampire blood heals'. Raising her father's head with her free hand…

"Arya no." Pam called.

"I need to heal him."

"No Arya." Her father pushed her wrist limpy.

"If you give him your blood now he won't heal he'll becoming one of us." Pam said.

"I don't care its better than him dying like this."

"I'll say it." Pam warned.

"Pam he's dying…" Arya looked at her maker with wide eyes; Arya pushed her wrist at her father.

"Don't make me say it." Pam almost pleaded.

"No." He coughed, blood appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Arya!" Pam shouted.

"Arya I'm sorry, I let…you down." Tomos breathed through the pain that now became a kind of numbness. "I really…am."

"It doesn't matter just drink this it will heal you." Arya re-bit her wrist.

Tomos sighed, "I don't want you to heal me."

"Just drink!" Arya thrust her wrist into her father's face.

"No!"

"Arya as your maker I command you, do not give him your blood." Pam commanded with all the authority she could muster.

Arya looked at Pam with furious eyes, a red tear coursing down her cheek. "Fine… I need to get you to the lake." Throwing her father's arm around her neck, Arya felt the resistance in his body. Looking down into his life diminishing eyes, Arya asked. "Do you want to die?"

"Yes." Tomos answered honestly.

"You are so selfish!" Arya shouted, leaning him against the fire's mantel.

"I know… I see it now." Reaching up a hand Tomos cupped his daughter's, "that's why I'm letting you go. You have always been destined for greatness." Arya sank back on to her heals, a sense of déjà vu over coming her. "My unhappiness spread to you because I kept you here, you reminded me so much of your mother." Tomos focused on his daughters face, she really was beautiful just like his dear Morrigan; in fact she was practically her mother's image. Her hair wasn't quite as dark but her eyes were hers, so big and calming with their colour that Tomos defied any who said they were able not to fall deep. Tomos had always thought his wife and their daughter were two halves of the same person; joined by a connection only they understood. They bore abilities that people only read about in books, around them everything was open. Mind's that bore secrets were as readable as words on a page; nature favoured them with all its beauty and assistance, the elements at their disposal. Around them music sounded more vivid and clear, lights grew brighter. Life was so much more beautiful. Tomos felt a tear leave his eye as he heard his wife speak in his mind, her last words, 'She was born for greatness. Protect her Tom.' After she died, "I lost who I was… and in the process lost you. I didn't, don't deserve you or your mother Arya, I'm a weak man. I don't have the strength the two of you have."

"I can't just let you die like this." Arya said, her eyebrows furrowing, her mind confused by the turn of events.

"I don't want to live. I haven't wanted to live without her for…" Tomos coughed, "a long time but no matter how bad of a father… I have…been, I couldn't leave you here alone."

"Tomos, what about us?" Ravina asked.

"Shut up WOMAN!" Tomos shouted angrily. Arya smiled a small, hidden smile. "You have found your destined life. You have Pam now; there is no need for me anymore." Tomos and Arya looked over at Pam, whose face bore a faint smile. "You look after my daughter; she's the best thing that will happen to you. Appreciate her."

Pam nodded, "I'm very aware of that and she's mine, no one will ever hurt her."

"I believe you." Tomos smiled, "Thank you for giving her what she deserves. Her life." Pam bobbed her head. Looking back at his daughter, he smiled a weary smile, "Pam is a huge part of your destiny my girl, stay true to her because she's given you your happiness." Tomos eyes blinked closed. "Maybe I'll see your mother…"

"Dad." Arya called, Tomos' eyes opening instantly.

Tomos beckoned with his finger, needing Arya to lean into him. "Take what's yours. Kill her and enjoy it." He whispered in his daughter's ear, taking Arya by surprise. "Rwyn dy garu di Eira." Arya felt tears fall as she heard her father pass his last breath, like a creaking old door shutting for good. Turning towards the door that vibrated with the pounding of hands, Arya composed herself, taking the back of her hand to her face; she wiped away the tears before climbing onto her feet.

Twisting on her heel Arya walked with purpose towards her step mother and her maker, her facial expression focused and content with what was about to happen. "Thank you for looking after her while I watched my father die." Arya smirked as she addressed her maker. "I'm hungry." Arya hit her step mother's head sideways, biting deep into her neck pulling away just as quickly. Arya closed her eyes as the last of the warm thick blood trickled down her throat, her face sour with disgust, "my god, you taste like crap." Arya shivered the taste of the blood grossing her out, "even your blood is tainted." Arya sighed, tipping her head to the side, "I guess you really are good for nothing…hmm…Come with me." Grabbing her step mother's hair Arya pulled her out of Pam's grip, throwing her out of the balconies open double doors. 'Pam, look in the desk for a check book.' Arya said without saying a word.

Stumbling face first on to the cold concrete slabbed floor, "Arya, you don't have to do this." Ravina spoke hastily hoping to appeal to Arya's unbelievably kind nature, as once again she became held in the air by the throat in the hand of the small brunette. "We could just go our separate ways." Ravina watched as her step daughter's face softened in the way she'd seen it do many times. "I know I've done awful things to you but, they were ideas put in my head. Now your father's gone there's nothing here for me, I'll go, you'll have free run over the house and the money. You'll be free."

"I'm already free." Arya extended her arm resting Ravina on the balcony's edge.

"Yes you are."

"But not on your say so…" Pam walked out into the night air, eyes watching in admiration as the young vampire concurred her enemy. "You locked me away in this house for twelve years; you had people watch me every hour of every day of those twelve years, you took away my childhood. You paid the boy I fell for to ruin me, offering him something he couldn't refuse." Pam's felt her stomach knot at the full truths of Arya's life. "You took my parents from me, you killed my mother and now you've taken my father. What did I ever do to you?"

"You lived." Ravina barked her eyes hardened as she began to claw at Arya's hands. "The permanent reminder of Morrigan that angel that wonderful soul, who everybody mourned for months after she died her untimely death. She wasn't an angel and she wasn't a wonderful soul, she was a freak, a magical freak. Just like you." Arya dropped Ravina onto the ledge, flabbergasted by her outburst.

Arya backed away toward the doorway where Pam stood. Looking around Arya looked at Pam with confusion.

'I thought you were over exaggerating when you told me about her.' Pam thought in Arya's direction.

'I wish I was.' Arya stood next to one another looking on at Ravina who got to her feet, cackling manically as she went. 'She's lost her mind.'

'What a fucknut.' Pam stated.

"You're not going to kill me. You don't have it in you." Ravina laughed crazily.

"You're right I'm not." Arya concurred.

"You're not?" Pam and Ravina asked collectively, both women confused but one more hopefully than anything.

"No…" Arya shock her head in the motion of her words, a grin taking over her face. "You're going to kill yourself." Flicking her hand towards her step mother, Arya felt the wind blow hard from her hand, it's pressure blowing Ravina backward arm's flailing.

"NO!" Ravina shouted desperately as her heels rocked backwards off the ledge, her body disappearing within a fraction of a millisecond.

Boomp!

"The legacy of Ravina Valentine. Driven crazy by her guilt and greed, she shot her husband killing him. She just couldn't handle life and the memories of all she had done, so she stood on the ledge of their library balcony and fell into the night's breeze and to her death." Pam stared at Arya whose hair danced in the wind she created. "Suicides are so sad." Arya's voice had no emotion.

"Suicide?"

Arya removed a piece of paper from within her socking, holding it up. "There's even a note confessing everything." Arya turned her head, looking up into Pam's eyes. "Do you have the check book?" Pam held up a green leather bound check book, not removing her eyes from Arya's whose spoke to Pam of every exhausted emotion a being could feel. "Let's go home." Arya's face was stolid, as she walked back into the house she'd never see again.

..

Hours passed and morning grew nearer, the sun about only an hour away from the horizon; but Pam didn't feel fatigued. Lying on her back in the pink satin lined coffin, Pam listened to the muffled and hesitant weeps from the other wood structure that lay next to hers. Not even Pam expected what had happened. Closing her eyes that had stared at the lid above her, Pam saw the image of the man dying infront of his daughter's eyes; Arya's young face knotting in a twist of emotions.

Pushing a flattened hand against the softly covered wood above, Pam sat up opening herself into a room of flickering lights. Rolling her head toward her right shoulder Pam looked down upon the XXL mahogany coffin that had been Eric's, 'I like to starfish.' Pam chuckled to herself as the memory of Eric outstretched with great pleasure passed through her mind quicker than she liked. Leaping out of her day place Pam landed beside the other coffin which now held a less happy sight. Pulling the lid upward Pam felt a frown of compassion creep on her face, a cord in her chest twanging with concern as she looked down upon her emotionally troubled progeny.

Arya lay at the furthest edge of the lavishly draped coffin, her frame looking dainty. With her hand's buried under her pillow, Arya buried her face beneath her heightened and tense shoulder; her knees curled up into her stomach slightly. 'Like a doll in its box.'

"If I had known you were going to be like this I wouldn't have let you go back to that house." Pam commented to no reaction, tapping her fingernails on the hard wood lid. Her words and their tone neither offensive nor comforting to the emotionally drained brunette; Pam felt something stir within her, something she hadn't felt since she herself had been human. She was upset over the loss of another person; a stranger, a person that before this night she had not known. The bond between the two vampires quivered with an ache of confused energy.

Closing her eyes tightly Arya fought the urge to let her tears tip openly once more. During her human life she had become used to controlling her emotions 'for the greater good of all' as her father had told her many times; and as such it was only in extreme cases of hurt, frustration, sickness and times like this did she ever cry. Arya felt a wave of unexplainable emotion course over her. Since she'd become vampire, it had been as though all her emotions had been intensified by ten, anger was more ferocious, sadness was more heart breaking and lust was more unquenchable. Inside her head Arya's mind tore itself in a million different thought directions; it celebrated the death of her nemesis, it screamed with frustration over her lack of control and her father's ignorance; and it sobbed whole heartedly over the murder of the only parent she had known. Her guts twisted in indescribable knots of unfocused torment. 'I hate the world!' Arya screamed in her head.

Gritting her teeth with anxious energy, Pam sighed uselessly, 'I don't know how to do this.' For four decades she had had no need to worry about anything. She had a maker who was strong and confident, who would catch her _if_ she fell but that was so rare it didn't even warrant further thought. Bending forward till she'd lowered her upper body over the coffin, Pam poked Arya gently with a long elegant finger, "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked almost hesitantly, knowing that if the answer were yes she'd be no use or hold no advice other than, 'get over it' to Arya's increasing emotional baggage.

"Nope." Arya sighed, her tone devoid of all emotion.

Looking at the larger than large coffin, Pam asked with true concern filling her voice. "Do you want to be alone?" If she didn't there was more than enough room for them to share.

"Nope…" Arya replied once again, her tone more humdrum and tear filled.

Taking off her shoes, Pam leapt silently into the XXL coffin; arranging the pillow to her satisfaction Pam clutched the lid bringing it down upon them as she lay down sideways, her body turned in the same direction as her saddened progeny.

As the darkness of the coffin closed in around them Pam adjusted her body to its complete angle of comfort. Reaching out her free hand Pam rested in on Arya's shoulder in a message of comfort; within seconds of skin touching skin Pam felt Arya's body shift. Feeling a pressure on her forehead, Pam realised the body part her hand laid upon was now Arya's shoulder blade; the pleasurable pressure on her forehead was that of Arya's.

"I'm sorry Pam." Arya whispered. "I know you didn't sign up for this shit." Her voice cracking as the words trailed off.

"Don't worry about it." Pam twirled one of the curls that fell at her finger tips, feeling Arya snuggle deeper into the safe feeling in which she found herself. "Just don't make this a regular thing… you know with the tears an'all." Arya laughed at Pam's attempts to condole and comfort, "No one can ever hurt you again."

"Only you…" Arya spoke softly, her words taking Pam by surprise, "but I don't see that happening."

Pam's eyes blinked slowly, her body finally growing weary. It seemed that Arya wasn't the only one who needed the closeness to finally relax; Pam chastised herself for needing to need. After all she prided herself on not needing anyone, including Eric these days; 'who am I kidding?' Pam asked herself the perfect rhetorical question. She knew that deep down that she had only needed two people, herself and Eric. 'I guess it's three now.'

…..

"Pam…Pam…Pamelllaaaa." Arya repeated in numerous tones and pitches as she gazed into the glazed over, focused memory filled blue eyes that stared right into her own. Arya smirked she had only been awake for the past three minutes but had awoken to the sight of vacant yet awake Pam; Pam's mind consumed by memories Arya had tried to forget numerous times before.

Running a finger down Pam's cheek, Arya saw a flash of her own life, the two of them in a coffin her face stained red by tears of extreme confusion; the electric touch stirring Pam from her stupor.

"Why were you thinking about that?" Arya queried.

"How long have you been awake?" Pam inquired, realising she had probably been staring gawkily at Arya for a considerable amount of time.

"About three minutes, what made you think of that night?" Arya pushed her earlier question.

"I woke up early and you were sleeping. I started think about last night and how by being in the same bed we both fell to sleep which made me think of the first night we slept next to one another to comfort and prompt sleep. Why are you so uppity about it?"

"I'm not." Arya said squeakily, "I'm not…" Arya gained control of her voice reiterating her words, "I just wasn't expecting _that _flash back when I touched you." Arya flopped onto her back, prompting Pam to lean upward on her elbow.

"There's nothing wrong with that memory, I would have preferred if you hadn't been emotionally scarred by it; and as such hadn't cried so much, but I understood." Pam poked Arya, "You made up for it by growing out of the baby vamp psychosis fairly quickly."Arya chuckled. "That night help you grow into the vampire you are now." Arya laid her head to her left, looking at Pam with her big eyes, "it was one of the most important nights of our relationship."

"How?" Arya's eyebrow rose with a querying tone.

Pam pursed her lips, "I found out a lot about you. How your mind works, how insanely clever you are, how strong you are. I found out all your emotional baggage in once foul swoop which was useful and insightful." Arya looked wistful at the memories of her dying. "I also found out stuff about myself that night. I learned I could be a maker, a good maker; a maker who could care about her progeny first, with all the nurturing energy I never thought I could kick up with my Jimmy Choo's. That it wasn't weak to love anyone other than Eric." Arya smiled. "It was the first night we made literal sense as maker and progeny." Pam flourished her other hand, "to go with the chemical and mental sense."

"The ying to the other's yang." Arya added.

"Indeed." Pam nodded smiling to herself.

"You know what I found out that night?" Arya asked, rolling back on to her side.

"What?"

"Pamela Swynford de Beaufort likes to cuddle."

"I do not like to cuddle…" Pam protested.

Arya laughed, shrugging her shoulders, "Ok whatever you say."

Pam frowned deep momentarily before a smirk curled at the corner of her mouth. Reaching backward, Pam grabbed the clock, "6.30, shit."

"What?"

"We only have half hour to get ready… We need to be at Fangtasia by seven." Pam jumped out of the bed wrapping her robe around her semi naked body.

"Well if you didn't spend so much time staring at me, we wouldn't be in this situation." Arya sat up, stretching her arms above her head.

Pam turned back to the bed throwing her hand on her hip. "I wasn't staring at you...I was staring through you." Pam drawled.

Bounding off the bed, Arya smirked, "Whatever you say…spooner Pam."


	35. Chapter 35

**Vara trevligt. – Swedish – Be nice.**

**Fashgasm – Short for - Fashion Orgasm**

Chapter 35

'**Sweet dreams are made of this****  
><strong>**Who am I to disagree?****  
><strong>**I travel the world****  
><strong>**And the seven seas****  
><strong>**Everybody's looking for something.****Some of them want to use you****  
><strong>**Some of them want to get used by you****  
><strong>**Some of them want to abuse you****  
><strong>**Some of them want to be abused.****Sweet dreams are made of this…'****  
><strong>

"Who am I to disagree? I've travelled the world and the seven seas, everybody's looking for something." Arya sang along to the Eurhythmics as she fixed her make-up in the mirror, the sound finding its way from the bar out front to Arya's ears in the office of Fangtasia. 'First shift at the family business.' Arya smiled applying the final sweep of crimson lipstick across her lips before standing up straight and angling her body in every direction, admiring her own form in the little black leather topped and feather bottomed dress of her own design. 'It works well with these…" Arya gazed down at her ultra violet shoes with a wide smile; they had been her last purchase in New Orleans, well worth every dollar of $590. Releasing her hair, she let it fall naturally, cascading down her back and her front, 'nice job if I do say so myself.' Arya applauded her styling as she flirted with her own reflection.

Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring.

Tearing her attention away from herself, Arya looked at the ringing office phone with disdain. Racing to the desk, Arya stared at the phone willing it to stop its awful noise, she neither cared to answer or help the person on the other end. "Nobody's here and don't leave a message…" Arya flopped into the large desk chair, tapping her well-manicured fingers on the receiver.

Beep.

The phone stopped ringing. "Opps!" Arya smiled wickedly, relaxing back into chair. Gazing around the office, Arya took in the hub of the business where her maker's spent a lot of time. The office spoke to Arya of things she had missed, phantoms of hard times and good, and moments of despair and happiness. Closing her eyes Arya shut off her mind, phantom knowledge could wait. 'Very basic for Pam…' Arya told herself as she opened her eyes and swivelled in her seat from left to right till her eyes locked on the book case behind her; Arya smiled grabbing a photo frame. The frame contained a painting of a Viking longship, no doubt a boat similar to the ones Eric had travelled on in his youth; but it wasn't the boat that warmed Arya's heart but the smaller fierce picture of her makers that was inserted into the frames corner.

Ring, ring. Ring, ring.

Arya's head flicked back to the once again ringing phone, glowering at it with contempt, her eyebrow elevated high. "For the love of…" Arya lifted the receiver with her free hand, "Fangtasia. Thebarwithabitewherethedeadc ometolifeeverynight. What can I do for you?" Arya reeled off one of the Fangtasia greetings with little enthusiasm.

"Pam?" The feminine voice on the other end asked, as though confused.

"No."

"You sound like Pam."

Arya smirked at being likened to her maker, "Thank you…"

"Is this Arya..?" The voice sounded curiously excited.

"Yes, the one and only…" Arya's eyes narrowed, no one knew she was here, placing the photo frame back on the bookshelf. "And you are?"

"Oh I'm Sookie St.."

Arya threw the phone back in its cradle, "Not on my watch."

"Who was that?" Pam asked from the doorway.

"No one important." Arya shrugged, pushing herself out of the chair she walked out in front of the desk, perching on the top of it. "Everything all right out there?"

Pam sat into her hip as she pointed to her stomach, where a large deep purple stain cover the front of her red velvet dress.

"I didn't even notice that until you point it out…"

"You missed this?" Pam's tone almost alarmed, "It's the size of a raccoon."

"Surprisingly I wasn't looking at your stomach…" Looking up she noticed Pam's hair wasn't perfectly styled, "Was there a fight?"

Pam nodded, "I dealt with it, ruining my new dress in the process…" Looking at the damage in the mirror, Pam's eyebrows furrowing, 'I hate people.'

"I think you look wonderful, even with the stain."

Pam bit her bottom lip as she looked over her shoulder at her sweet progeny who always had the right words in moments of crisis, "And that's why you're mine…" Arya smiled, "but seriously, there's work to be done." Pam opened the cupboard she stored a change of clothes in, picking up several items which couldn't make a decent outfit. Looking over her shoulder at her stylish progeny, Pam admired the dress on Arya's body, "I like your dress." She said sweetly with a slight whisper of a smile.

"Me too." Arya swished her feathered skirt, grinning to herself as she observed the movement within it. "Then again I'm biased, I made it." Arya looked up from the skirt, "And no you can't have it."

A gust of air blew Arya's hair back over her shoulders, Pam's face appearing in hers. "But I like it..." Pam pouted her lips, placing her hands on Arya's hips.

"You'd take the dress off your own progeny's back?"

"Several times over…" Pam flirted.

Rising onto her plat-formed toes Arya leaned into her maker's face, her nose touching the tip of Pam's, "No." She said playfully, dropping back down onto her heels.

"But I have nothing to wear." Pam said irritably as she held up the items she had, none of them had what it took to be a Pam worthy outfit.

"You're lucky I've come prepared then." Arya sped around the work side of the desk, retrieving an multi coloured, oversized Aztec woven holdall. Dropping it onto the roller chair, she sent it cruising into Pam's grip. "Take your pick sweetheart."

Ring, ring. Ring, ring.

"Get that…" Pam nodded in the general direction of the phone as she opened the bag to the delight of beautiful, edgy clothes. "Hello…" Pam drawled at the work of excellence within her grasp, holding up a deep carmine red leather pencil dress. 'this will so go with these shoes.' Pam told herself with a smile.

Reaching behind her Arya picked up the receiver, "Good evenin', Fangtasia, Northern Lousiana's most fangtastic club." Arya shot a nauseous look at Pam, the seemingly polite words leaving a bad taste in her mouth. "What do you want?"

"Pam?" Sookie asked again.

"No."

"Arya..?

"The one and only…" Arya stood up, untangling her from the wire.

"Hi again it's Sookie S…"

"Stackhouse, yes I know." Pam stopped undressing, turning to face her progeny, who held the phone away from her ear whilst Sookie rattled on with her polite phone etiquette before uttering the words.

"I think the phone cut out..."

"I hung up."Arya corrected, smirking at a curious Pam, covering the receiver with her hand, "carry on changing, you can entertain me, I might be here a while."

"Did you hear me?" Sookie asked.

"No I forgot to listen, please repeat in the shorter version."

Sookie sighed, "Is Pam there?"

"I don't know, let me check…" Pressing the speaker phone button on the phones hub, Arya replaced the receiver back on its stand. "Pam, are you here?"

"No." Pam answered manoeuvring the leather dress over the lower body, stopping momentarily to reply.

"Sorry Sookie she's not here." Arya sat back on the table's edge.

"I just heard her. She's clearly there."

"And clearly she doesn't want to talk to you." Arya's body slid easily into her maker's favourite stance, her body giving off the same defensive attitude as her voice.

"Eric need's a ride home from my house."

Arya stood to full extension looking at Pam who just shrugged her shoulders indifferently at the news of Eric's where abouts. "His house." Pam added.

"Really Pam?" Sookie asked, her tone exasperated beyond belief. Something that made Pam smile.

"Where is Eric?" Arya asked.

"Shower, he got the bleeds." Sookie answered honestly. "He wants Pam to come fetch him."

"And I want Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt dipped in AB- with a splash of O, Venetian virgin blood waiting for me when I get home tonight, but alas we can't always get what we want in life. Pam is occupied running their business." Pam nodded in agreement with Arya's words as she walked over to where Arya stood.

"Zip me…" Pam pointed to her back, holding the front of the dress to her chest with the other hand.

"Then he wants you to come get him." Sookie assumed that's what Eric wanted.

"I don't know where you live…" Arya pulled the zip upward, the leather taking to Pam's form like a snug, well fitted skin. "As if it was made for you…" Arya place a kiss on Pam's bare shoulder knowing it was.

"It's called a GPS." Sookie bit sharpish, her aggravation growing as she heard the two female vampires paying more attention to each other, rather than the needs of their maker and grand-maker.

"Eric wouldn't want me to come to '_your' _house; believe me." Arya spoke with certainty, "You have a car don't you?"

"Of course I do." Sookie replied in a 'duh' tone.

"Well then Miss Stackhouse, there's the solution to all our problems."

"I've got work."

"And where do you think Pam and I are right now? Tell the shifter you'll be a little late…" Arya suggested, rummaging around in her bag for a specific box.

Whistling to get Pam's attention from the mirror, Arya tossed a long purple box in her direction, "It'll go perfectly with that dress." Pam's eyebrow rose quizzically, her eyes glistening with excitement.

"I'm not going to blow Sam off and turn up late just because one of…." Sookie snapped.

Arya interrupting her, "That's a shame I'm sure he'd enjoy it, but c'est la vie. So, I suggest Sookie, that you go get Eric out of the shower right now and make it a quick visit Fangtasia." Arya lifted the receiver replacing it just as quickly, cutting Sookie off once more. Standing up straight Arya cricked her neck, shaking away what little tension she'd developed since the beginning of her conversation with Sookie Stackhouse.

"Eric's going to kill you and then he'll kill me" Pam said attaching the black diamond waterfall necklace around her neck.

"He'll have to catch me first… Drop the hair, then you are beyond perfection."

Reaching up Pam removed the pins that held her updo, letting the waves tumble. "Where did you get this dress?" Pam wondered as she gazed at herself with joy.

"I made it." Pam's head flicked toward her progeny.

"Made it?"

"Yes." Arya's looked confused, "Do you honestly think you could find this perfectly fitted dress in a store without a fitting?" Arya sped to Pam side, draping an arm around her waist rested her head against Pam's shoulder, as they both looked in the mirror in admiration of Pam's form within the suburb dress. "It takes a person who has observed your measurements down to the last millimetre to fit a dress that good." Arya beamed, "been there, down that," Arya pointed into the mirror, "made the dress."

The two women smiled blissfully at the level of fashion going on.

Sliding as arm around her progenies waist, Pam asked hopefully, "Does this mean there'll be more fabulous outfits to come?"

Arya nodded, "I can only imagine your face when you see the inside of my trunk." Arya smiled smugly, knowing exactly how Pam would react the fashion genius she had stored in her car.

"I think we're ready to take them on my progeny." Pam ran her free hand down the length of her torso, pulling Arya tighter to her.

"I think so too my maker." Arya smiled at her contented maker in the mirror, "ok now stop eye screwing yourself before you give yourself a fashgasm."

"I can't help it look at us…" Pam words were passionate lust, the image in front of her making her tingled all over with a want that didn't involve the clothes. Arya pulled out of the embrace fluffing her hair before walking towards the door.

"Come on woman. We'd better go do some work so we don't get in any more trouble."

"Fine…" Pam rolled her eyes; turning away from the mirror she gave herself one last glance over her shoulder.

"If anybody tips something on this masterpiece, kill them and I'll glamour everyone." Arya said with a seriousness that made Pam laugh.

Placing her hand on Arya's back, Pam guided her child through the door, out into the hallway that would lead to their first shift together in Fangtasia 'I'll make you a deal, if someone ruins this dress, I'll let you kill them and I'll glamour everyone if I can see what's you have in your trunk tonight."

"My dear Pamela was that a double entendre? If so deal."

…..

**An hour later…**

"Thank you for the ride." Eric said with speed, jumping out of Sookie's version of a clown car. Flexing his legs, Eric felt the blood return the slightly numb feeling disappearing completely.

"You are welcome." Sookie replied perkily, knocking the engine off before opening the door of her tiny yellow car.

"What are you doing?" Eric asked his eyebrows doing 'a Pam' with curiousity.

"I'm coming in." Sookie looked up at the blonde Viking who stood at the opposite side of her car. Click. Removing the key from the lock, Sookie started toward the vampire, fangbanger mecca of Shreveport, Louisiana.

"Why?" Eric asked catching up with Sookie before she'd taken her fifth stride.

"I want to meet the not so sweet version of Snow White."

"Of course you do." Eric muttered under his breathe.

Brushing past the cue at the door, the duo got into the crowded floor of Fangtasia quicker than a hot knife through butter.

"Chow?" Eric called far too quiet for anyone including a vampire to hear over the top of 'Tainted love' by Marilyn Manson.

"Eric." Chow greeted from behind startling Sookie, bobbing his head to Eric, Chow looked at Sookie, greeting her with the same motion. "Blonde waitress by the name of Sookie Stackhouse."

Eric scanned his eyes over the floor, his excellent vision failing to find the women of his line. "Where are Pam and Arya?"

Chow shrugged, "They were around not that long ago. Greeting the regulars." Chow's tone became hushed, "everyone is curious as to who this Arya really is?" Chow spoke honestly, highlighting his own curiosity in the young vampire from out of town.

Eric smirked, "If they haven't told anyone, who am I to tell?" Eric wasn't saying anything for now, Arya's grand unveiling as the newest member of the Northman de Beaufort clan would have to wait. There were more pressing issues at hand. Eric cast his eyes up at the clock above the bar, '8.30', "Chow we're closing at half hour after midnight."

"That's a bit early isn't it. Friday's one of the best nights for…" Chow stated the obvious.

"You'll do it Chow." Eric walked further into the crowd, heading for back of house.

Sookie looked at Chow with cautious eyes, placing her hands in her pockets Sookie walked after Eric, not before telling Chow. "It was good to see you." Sookie lied; she didn't care for Chow at all.

…..

"Have you been eating Oranges?" Arya questioned her donor, an enthusiastic nod of her woman in her early thirties head confirming the vampires assumption. "You did that for me?"

"I re'member'd you said how much you like blood with a citrus kick." The woman replied happily.

"Well that was highly considerate of you. I'll definitely rate you highly." Arya smiled a fangy smile. From the girls thoughts Arya read the love of her work, how the agency she was with now was 'sooo' much better than her last, the cliental, more attractive too by far. Not that she played for her own team; apart from those two days when she was in college. "Pam you must try this, she's rather delectable."

Pulling away from her meal a male in his late twenties, Pam looked questionably at the woman from which the blood came, she was a red head with fair skin and freckles, she smelt nice.

"Do you mind if…?" Arya began to ask.

"Oh no, not at all." The red head brushed her hair down her back, revealing the untouched side of her neck.

Biting her fingers Pam rubbed her blood on the small puncture wounds found on her original meals neck. Dismissing him with a flick of a finder, Pam walked to the sofa where her child and the red head sat. Kneeling on the available side of the couch, Pam positioned herself comfortably.

"Huh!" The girl gasped from the initial sting of the fangs plunging deep. The blood enveloped Pam's throat with warmth and a citrus kick. Gulping down a healthy amount, Pam withdrew from the girl taking in a breath.

"Tasty isn't she?" Arya asked, from her draped position on the other side of the couch.

"Best blood I've had in months." Pam answered honestly, considering only using female donors from now on, all the men recently had been complete disappointments.

"Really?" The red head queried her voice high and squeaky.

"Yes."

"Thank you, I try real hard." The woman smiled brightly, as though she had just won a 'Noble Peace Prize' or 'Academy Award'.

"Would you like to make this a common occurrence? Be our personal donor." Arya sat up, leaning her chin on her shoulder.

"Uh…" The red head looked forward, her eyes blinking slowly, "Does that mean I can't feed anyone else?"

Pam leant backwards onto the couch's soft back pillows, her eyebrow riding high with disbelief. 'Maybe she tastes so purely good because she can't think bad thoughts and breathe at the same time.'

"Yes it does, and you will only be permitted to feed Pam and my grandmaker Eric and I." The red head considered her financial position; she could barely afford her rent being the donor to four vamps, let alone one group. "We'll pay you 300 per feeding session. Call that four times a week, that'll give you a $1000 a week." Arya watched as the young at heart red head's eyes grew wider with excitement, her mind running crazy at the thought of earning $1000 a week. "Shall I take that as a yes."

"Yes m'am, where do I sign."

"Nowhere." Arya smiled at the simple minded woman, "It's merely a verbal contract for now..."

Turning between the two vampires the excitable woman smiled, "I will not let you down, neither of y'all."

Pam smirked.

Arya ran her hand down the length of the red heads hair, "Good… What's your name by the way?"

"Poppy. Poppy O'Reilly."

"Well Poppy O'Reilly welcome to the Northman de Beaufort experience." Pam rose from the couch, running to the desk, writing Fangtasia's number on a piece of paper. "Phone this number tomorrow at nine thirty p.m, if no one picks up just leave a message and we'll get back to you." Pam held the piece of paper in Poppy O'Reilly's direction.

Poppy rushed forward claiming the piece of paper before the blonde vampire had a chance to retract her offer. "Would you like me to eat anything to infuse my blood? Still oranges or something else?" Poppy asked looking between the maker and progeny.

'She did taste good with the orange kick.' Pam looked at Arya for confirmation.

'She did…' Arya sat forward, rest her elbow on the arm of the chair and her head in her hand. 'Lemon could be nice.'

'Hmm…' Pam nodded in agreement.

Poppy looked at the two vampires who did not speak but seemed to communicate, "Can y'all talk without talkin'?'"

"Yes." Pam looked at Arya as though Poppy's question had been completely absurd. Pam didn't consider it odd anymore, she didn't even think of her and Arya's other way of communicating as secret or different to any other maker or progeny. Arya had the ability to read minds, so Pam's thoughts were near to always open to her child and Arya could plant thoughts in other people's minds.

Arya batted her eyelashes, 'Pineapple would be nice.'

'Pineapple..?' Pam nodded, "Would you eat pineapple?" Poppy nodded a smile of delight covering her face, "Great, pineapple it is."

"Mmm…yummy." Arya clapped her hands excitedly, she'd only eaten the sweet and juicy fruit once in her human life but the memory of the exotic fruit had stayed with her forever. "Thank you Poppy."

"No problem… I'll see you the day after tomorrow?" Poppy opened the door of the office. The two vampires nodded in unison, a mirrored reaction that Poppy found adorable. "You two are so perfect for one another."

Pam looked at Arya who beamed back at her, "We're very lucky."

"Indeed…" Arya concurred.

"So here you are, working hard I…" Eric stopped midsentence as he collided with a small woman whose head only just met his chest. "Hello."

Poppy sighed at Eric's beauty, "hi... I'm Poppy."

"Eric Northman."

"Oh, you're Arya's grandmaker."

Eric looked over Poppy's head at Arya who sat with a cheeky smile on her face as his eyebrow lifted with irritation. "Yes I am and I'm Pam's maker and owner of this establishment. Who are you?"

Poppy's face scrunched with confusion, "I'm Poppy…" 'Didn't I just say that?' she asked herself.

Eric chortled, "Let me rephrase, what are you and why are you here?"

"I'm a girl and I was here to feed them..?" Poppy spoke slowly, almost asking if her own facts were correct.

"Poppy is our in house donor four days a week from now on." Arya added standing up, "Pam got rid of Jethro and Poppy here is delicious."

Eric looked down at the pint sized red head who gawked up at him. "Well then I'll look forward tasting you."

"Thank you…" Poppy said mindelessly, her tone whimsical and dreamy as she stared into the third pair of beautiful eyes she'd experienced that evening.

"If you think moving at vamp speed is going to lose me Eric, you are sadly mistaken."

Pam rolled her eyes, at the overly familiar voice of Sookie Stackhouse. "Here we go."

"I'll uh, go, see y'all soon." Poppy vanished out into the hall way as Sookie entered view.

"Who was that?" Sookie pried.

"Poppy." Eric replied walking into his office, looking at the children of his line with contemptuous eyes. "Care to explain yourselves?"

"Not especially…" Arya expressed running her fingers through her hair as she walked up beside Pam.

"Someone had to run the bar while you were taking your shower at Sookie's." Pam looked at the other blonde that held a place in Eric's heart. "Hello."

"Pam…" Sookie addressed, dipping her head slightly. Shifting her eyes left Sookie laid her eyes on, 'holy s…' The living embodiment of Snow White, 'Eric wasn't kidding.' She was incredible looking, her face was eternally youthful, her cheeks full and cheekbones high, her dark brown hair made her pale skin glow; her big aquatic eyes sparkled like the sun of the ocean. She was shorter than Sookie had imagined her to be, even with heels on she was bellow Eric's shoulder. 'If Tim Burton made Snow White…' Sookie considered Arya to be the perfect casting for that role, especially with her make up as it was, black smoked out eyes with redder than blood lips, perfect for the twisted turn on the classic tale. How could a person with a face that sweet have such attitude?

Noticing Sookie's unwavering stare at the youngest of his line Eric introduce them, "Sookie Stackhouse, Arya Northman de Beaufort formally Arya Valentine O'Floinn." Looking at Arya Eric narrowed his eyes, the action warning Arya to behave herself. "Arya Northman de Beaufort, Sookie…"

"Stackhouse, yes I got that." Arya scrunched her nose, a motion meant to let Eric know she had no intention on listening to him.

"It's nice to meet you." Sookie said courteously, extending her hand Sookie withdrew it quickly, "I always forget that vampires don't shake." Sookie smiled at Eric who now sat in his chair behind the desk.

"Oh we do shake just not anybody's hand." Arya corrected, smiling an unreadable smile that unnerved Sookie.

The room fell quiet as the waitress looked at the vampire family, they're linage had come full circle. Godric was a shorter male with brown hair and light eyes who made a tall blonde haired blue eyed Viking; who made a tall blond blue eyed woman; who made a shorter brown haired light eyed woman. "So Pam's your maker huh?"

"You sound surprised." Pam said defensively.

"Well yeah…" Sookie blurted, her voice edged with a stifled laugh which she instantly regretted. Obverting her eyes Sookie looked anywhere but at Pam whose eyes she could feel drilling into her with force.

"Yes she is my maker." Arya slipped her arm through Pam's which found itself on her hip, "And your Eric's…" Arya's head tilted the side, her eyes narrowing as she searched for the right phrasing for Sookie Stackhouse's relationship with her grand maker. "What are you to Eric again?"

Pam turned her head to look at Arya, attempting to hide the growing smile of delight that spread its way across her lips.

"Vara trevligt.' Eric suggested _authoritatively_ in his native tongue, something he shared only with his maker and children.

Arya looked at Pam whose eyes were filled with pride.

"I'm sorry Sookie." Arya said as sincerely as she could bare. "I think we just got off on the wrong foot, as Eric just told me, I should be 'nice'. It's not as though you were one of the few catalysts that almost tore apart my family. Oh…wait…" Arya hit the palm of her hand to her forehead, "yes you were."

"Arya." Eric grumbled deeply, a tone a father would use to scold his child.

"Eee-ric?" Arya flicked a glance at her grandmaker, the upturn at the corners of her mouth, telling Eric she had no intention of taking his calm warnings to behave seriously.

Rushing forward, Eric stood in Arya's personal space, towering over her as she looked up into his eyes mirroring his gaze of seriousness. In all the years Eric had known Arya he had become overly aware that she was more like Pam than he cared for; one Pam was enough for a maker. The two women that were destined to be his for eternity; both had a great sense and need for mischievousness along with significant issues with authority. As such pushing the boundaries was one of their favourite pass times; but Arya knew better than to do it in public. Looking down into the large eyes that stared back up at him with all the attitude in the world Eric said one word; "behave."

"Don't be angry with me." Arya leant into Eric's face, "I'm not the one who led you down the garden path to drop you like a dead weight when she was done. Then again if I had been the said female, maybe you would have been sleeping in our house last night."

Arya's eyebrow heightened, in general, the thought of Eric having a relationship with another woman didn't faze Arya in anyway in fact there had been many women throughout the years that had shared his bed. It was only on times like these that Arya took a stand on the external relationship front; if 'said' kind of relationship posed a threat or caused as much damage to their family as the short few months of Sookie and Eric had, Arya knew she had footing and the right to stand her ground and push her opinion. Although usually she wouldn't push Eric in public, believing in love and respect for her grandmaker and for fear of the repercussions of her actions; Pam had been hurt once and it wasn't going to happen again.

"I didn't lead him anywhere." Sookie said irritably.

Pam snickered.

"Oh you did sugar and you know it," Arya unlinked left her arm from Pam's, using the fingers on the freed hand, Arya tapped her head, "in here."

"I love Eric…" All eyes fell on Sookie, "I just love Bill too."

"And you don't consider that to be playing with someone?" Arya's face scrunched into a face of disbelief, "It's just a decision and I've seen Bill, what were you thinking?"

Sookie shook her head in a similar motion, "I can't help who I fall for."

"Of course you can't;" Rolling her eyes; Pam looked down at Arya Pam pointed a Sookie, "she was a virgin until she was twenty five." Pam let her arm flop back to her side, "If her first time had been with a throw pillow there would have be a love square." Looking at Eric, Pam shock her head, knowing now that the smell of fae was generally Sookie's attractive feature Pam wondered what Eric saw in the blonde waitress. 'Stupid fucking human idiot…'

Eric sank down onto the top of his desk, preparing himself for a cat fight.

"Well not all of us have loose legs." Sookie bit back.

Pam paced a step forward, an arm extending across her chest, "Wow mussel yourselves." Arya held out her other arm in Sookie's direction, "Look Sookie I don't blame you." All heads turned, eyes fixed on Arya, "Entirely… I mean, look at him." Arya turned round to look at the earth bound god that was Eric Northman, "He's incredible looking, charming, successful and a champion in bed…" Eric smirked to himself, "and God knows there are chemicals in all of our bodies that make us lust after the most inappropriate of people, but do I think you both could have shown more restraint? Yes. Do I think you both could have shown more consideration for the third party in your 'relationship'? Damn straight."

Pam smiled a Sookie smugly, as she listened to her child own her, a look that made Sookie angry.

"I'm sorry but I don't think Pam has anything to do with my relationship with Eric."

Arya squinted, pained by the blondes idiocy. "She has everything to do with it… I suggest that before you consort with another vampire, you ask if he has a progeny. Having known you personally for about five minutes, I can tell you are an extremely needy human…"

"I.." Sookie started to protest.

"And what you need, you will never find that with a vampire who has children or with a vampire generally. A maker and progeny relationship is above every other relationship on the earth, a bound that is stronger than family and friendships combined. Either deal with the fact that if you date a vampire with a progeny, progenies…" Arya corrected her speech to her situation, "You are also dating their child…children." Arya blinked her eyes quickly, "I guess it's like that thing some out you human's take part in…" Arya searched her mind for the right word, "polygamy."

"I am not a polygamist!" Sookie exclaimed in horror. She was a straight up, good Christian girl who didn't believe in sharing a partner. "I don't like sharing."

Although there was that dream. Sookie fought to keep the smile of delight off her face.

Arya laughed, "but two men could share you, because you would have dealt with that right?" Arya smirked, her eyebrows dancing.

"No."

"So it was just a fantasy, a dream per say?" Arya asked intimating she knew something that only Sookie should.

"Did you just read my thoughts?" Sookie's eyes widened, avoiding any kind of eye contact with a staring and interested Eric. Arya smirked, "you read my thoughts? How?"

Pam looked over her shoulder at Eric, who flicked his finger toward Sookie. The motion speaking louder than words, 'get Sookie out.'

"You're a telepath." Sookie felt a burst of excitement fill her, concentrating hard Sookie felt no brain activity within the room, although that was common with vampires. Sookie's mind reeled she'd never met someone with telepathic abilities that she couldn't hear. "You can hear my thoughts but I can't hear yours…"

"Well this has been wonderful…" Pam's tried to conclude the nosey waitresses experience with her progeny, Pam's delivery dripping with sarcasm as she walked toward Sookie. Pushing her backward through the door with her presence, "Thanks for bringing Eric home. Blah blah blah. Wouldn't want the mutt to be angry with you so… You'd better be off to that wonderful hick bar you work at. This has been illuminating. Ta Ta."

"It was nice meeting you Miss. Stackhouse." Arya flourished her fingers in a wave as Pam slammed the door shut, turning back to the others slowly. The two sets of elder eyes fell upon the youngest, "That was fun…" She proclaimed happily, bumping Eric's shoulder with her own as she sat beside him on the desk, letting her legs swing freely a smiled spreading across her face.


	36. Chapter 36

**Hey, hey, hey. **

**I love the whole heart breaking Pam, Eric scenes, their so poignant and amazing that I love to create twists off of them. So here's my go of adding in the Pam, Eric bits from episode 52 into my tale. Oh and I know that Pam's outfit in my version doesn't match up with what TB Pam was wearing when the scene of a very similar nature to the one that's about to happen took place. Then again I didn't feel the need for it to be considering I'm screwing with the plot line quite drastically, although I am utilising the words and drama created by the crazily awesome writers at TB to better my own twist. Hope you like Peace out.**

**P.s. I couldn't write a certain word fully because I don't like it, but it felt right for the character to say. So please fill in where the *** appear.**

Chapter 36

Drip. Drip. Drip… Drip. Drip.

"G'night Sheriff..." The bar staff called to their throne seated boss as they left Fangtasia for the night; their courteous gesture going unnoticed by Eric as he listened to the maker progeny duo bicker over the top of the incessant dripping of a leaking bar faucet.

"Because you don't just go telling anyone you're a telepathic vampire." Pam chided.

"I didn't tell her anything…" Arya corrected, she hadn't told Sookie anything other than the truth that was in her own head.

"You read her thoughts and recited them to her Arya…" Eric could feel Pam's eyebrow rise with the same reprimanding tone, "Sookie is a telepath and no matter how stupid she can appear to be, or how stupid I may think she is if you give her one plus one and she'll come up with two."

"What does that mean?" Arya asked sounding truly baffled.

"It takes a telepath to know a telepath."

"She can't hear me. Like no one else can hear me unless I project my thoughts into their minds."

"She can't hear you because you're dead. She can't hear vampires..."

"Then she's not a very good telepath is she?" Arya concluded smugly.

Eric heard Pam's stiletto heel on the hard office floor, "That is not the point... What I am trying to get into that gorgeous and stupidly impulsive head of yours is that you are beyond powerful Arya. You would be a complete asset to any power player. I gave you the freedom you craved so much do not throw it back in my face by becoming a slave to the authority through bloody minded recklessness."

"Why are you making such a big deal of this? So what if Sookie Stackhouse thinks I'm a telepath. Big freaking deal! Everyone but the Shifter in Bon Temp, Eric and apparently that Compton guy thinks she's crazy. Who's going to believe her?"

Eric heard one of them pace to steps forward, gathering it was Pam. "You are acting so young. You should know better."

"And you're acting so old; and that's not good for your complexion."

"I am old."

Arya squeaked, "I am young."

"You're 84."

"Sooo…."

"You are impossible sometimes." Pam vented with aggravation.

"I know and you know you're just annoyed because you're arguing against yourself and you know you can't win."

A silence grew throughout Fangtasia only broken periodically by the drip of the tap. Eric envisioned his children staring at each with all the focus, their looks expressing their mutual respect, frustration and lust for one another.

"I am leaving this room, to go do my job…" Pam started.

"Good." Arya stated making Eric laugh, he admired her tenacity and relentless ability to push Pam without fear.

"Do-not-follow-me, until you realise that what you did was reckless." There was a click as the office door as it opened in Pam's hand.

"I wouldn't dream of it, even if I wanted to."

The clicks of Pam's stilettos on the hall floor echoed nearer, "Stubborn bitch."

'_**I may not always love you  
>But long as there are stars above you<br>You never need to doubt it'**_

"I heard that!" Arya called loudly as Pam sped through the 'employees only' door into the heart of the newly empty bar.

'_**I'll make you so sure about it  
>God only knows what I'd be without you'<strong>_

"You were meant to!" Pam looked back through the door watching her progeny remove her phone from within feather and leather combo dress.

Arya smirked at Pam, her eyes defiant and cheeky in their expression. Tapping her finger on the phones screen she raised it to her ear as she watched her maker's eyebrow follow the motion. "Raoul, what's up?" Arya paced backward into the back exit, opening the door with her backside, bumping the door out into the parking lot Arya vanished.

As the night air flowed in Pam felt her lips purse with displeasure.

Bang!

Pam slammed the door shut making it shake in its frame. "She answered her phone in the middle of our argument." Holding her hands out in front of her Pam squeezed her eyes shut, scrunching her fingers in towards her palms; Pam dug the well-manicured nails into her skin. The slight pain giving her a release from her frustration, "It is on times like these that I have sympathy for you, because I realise the potential cons to creating someone like me..." Pam eyes popped open, 'the bar is empty.' Pam told herself, 'why is the bar empty?' Flicking her head toward her maker who sat slouched in his throne, "Where the hell is everyone?"

"I sent them home."

Pam gazed at the clock quizzically, "It's only twelve thirty... on a Friday night." Pam looked upon Eric with eyes as suspicious as her tone, "Why are we closed?"

Eric sat up, leaning forward in his seat, "We need to talk."

Pam rolled her eyes; of course they did Sookie Stackhouse had been in the building, "What did Sookie say now?"

"Nothing…" Eric affirmed, rising from the grand wooden seat. "What we have to discuss is something much more pressing than anything that could be uttered from the mouth of Miss. Stackhouse."

Pam's face dropped, the seriousness of the Eric's tone worrying a part of her she was beginning to forget she had. "What is it?"

Eric rushed into his progeny's personal space, until his chest touched hers. Looking down into Pam's eyes, "Did you release Russell Edgington?"

Pam's face become haunted, her eyes wild with her inner fear, "So it's true what Arya heard?"

"Pam did you release him?"

"No. Of course not, I would never do that to us." Pam answered truthfully.

"You are sure?" Eric probed.

Pam stepped backward from her maker in shock, "You really think I could do something like that?" Pam questioned with unblinking focus, "After a century you honestly think I would do something that foolish?"

"I don't believe that you would or could and I seriously hope you didn't." Eric looked down on his dejected and insulted child, "When I went to see Bill, he…"

"Bill Compton?" Pam asked with a deadpan expression. "I should have known after all he is the most trust worthy man in the whole of Louisiana. God help us Eric, if what we have isn't stronger than the bull shit that comes out of Bill Compton's mouth."

"I believe in you Pam but Bill made a valid point you had motive. You were furious and hurt…"

"How fucking dare you, both of you." Pam felt her hands clench into hard fists, "I may have been hurt," Pam's eyes threatened to well, "and I may have been furious but give me some credit…" Pam took an unnecessary breath, "if that was the way in which I had wanted to hurt you; I still wouldn't have been stupid enough to risk my own life to get revenge."

Eric looked pained, "I believe you."

"Oh thanks that means a great deal." Pam muttered sarcastically, "You shouldn't have to believe me Eric, you should just know."

"I do. I did, I stood up for you." Pam crossed her arms over her chest, like a defensive toddler, "I argued everything you've just spat at me. Ask Jessica she was there."

The sincerity of Eric's words flooded Pam with a calming sense of assurance, her anger receding to simmer under her newly cool exterior, "You're a bastard idiot."

Eric huffed, "I know."

"Especially for not listening to Arya."

"I did listen to Arya. I stood with us all in mind, not just myself." Pam's face gave off a look of scepticism. "I had to ask you Pam, I had to know before…"

"Before?"

"Bill arrives in forty five minutes to question you on points treason."

"What?" Pam asked with a calm fear.

Fixing his eyes on Pam's Eric looked deep, "Bill's kingship is falling and I'm surprised the authority hasn't come for us yet but I imagine their close." Eric stepped closer to Pam once more, "From the desperation in his eyes, Bill is under pressure to explain why we didn't kill Russell. If we can't give them answers as to why and where Russell is, they will come for our blood." Eric watched as the fear grew in Pam's eyes.

"And I'm his escape goat, because I had a foolish but let's face it practical motive." Pam held a hand to her head, feeling the world close in on her a little. "Why didn't he tell the authority about Russell still being alive?"

"Because I convinced him not to…" Eric answered truthfully, his words taking Pam by surprise. "I was hell bent on revenge; to bury Russell alive was by far better than staking him out of existence to join his dear Talbot. I told Bill to tell the authority that we had ended Russell's reign of terror and they took that as the true death, but now they know different."

"And now Compton is coming after my ass to save the two of yours."

"Unless we can convince him otherwise…"

Pam's eyes widened, "How?"

"We'll have to put on a little performance for the King." Eric clutched Pam's hand in his own, gazing into the confused eyes that looked intently upon his face, a light bulb illuminated Eric's mind. "Harness that simmering anger Pam you're going to need it."

…..

"I should go get Arya." Pam said pulling at the top of her dress until it sat comfortably.

"No." Eric ordered his eyes transfixed upon the several security monitors that gave a view of the whole exterior of Fangtasia. Eric watched as Arya sat on the bench talking into her cell phone, "We need her to make this work. She is key…" Eric looked over his shoulder at Pam who looked more nervous than he had ever seen her. "Pam." Looking up from her shoes Pam looked at Eric who beckoned her closer with a finger. "This will be easy."

"Really? You're the one who tells me I can't act. That the unedited truth is my strong suit." Pam retorted, staring up at the television screens.

Turning Pam by her shoulders until she faced him, Eric smiled, "Just harness the anger inside of you, think of all the things I have done recently, all the things I have done to annoy you; think of Bill being king and think of the insane accusation that is going to be place upon you. Think of everything that frustrates and upsets you, let it consume you for a brief period." Pam looked weary of letting go of her composure. "Think of her…" Eric cast his eyes up at the screen, "remember everything I've done that could have potentially risked her coming back and you won't have to act. Whatever it takes just let it speak; there will be no acting needed." Eric squeezed Pam's cheeks, smiling, "and she'll do the rest."

The two makers look at the screen on which the youngest of their family occupied; watching as she laughed about something they weren't privy to. Pam smirked, Arya was a little passionate fire cracker, who would stand firm is she faltered, Pam nodded, their plan was fool proof. "What I'll say in anger, I won't mean it."

"Even if you do, it'll be nothing I don't deserve to hear." Eric let go of Pam's face, kissing her softly on her forehead. Eric turned his attention back to the multiple screens.

.Tick. Tock.

Looking up at the clock Pam saw it was five minutes till show time, rocking her shoulders backward Pam elongated her body to its maximum in an attempt to break the anxious knot in her stomach.

"He's early."

"He's here?" Pam's head swung back to the screens above them, watching as Bill and Jessica were let out of their car by two armed guards.

"Pam…" Click. Eric clicked his fingers before Pam's eyes snapping her attention to him, "remember block her out until I tell you different." Pam nodded her eyes wide. Looking up at the screens the two vampires watched as the King of Louisiana and company made their way to the front entrance. "Time to call action."

"Let's do this." Grabbing hold of Eric's jacket, Pam ran at him hard, forcing her maker backward into one of the dancing poles around them.

…..

Crush. Bang. Argh. Crush. Boomp. Thud.

"Stop! Fucking! Lying!" Eric growled in a deep animalistic anger, his fangs extended.

Unmoved from his position pinning his progeny down on the couch Eric listened as the main entrance door banged shut behind Bill Compton and his party. Looking down into Pam's frightened eyes Eric squeezed at her throat causing them to tear.

"I'm not lying, I swear I don't know where Russell is…" Pam replied; her voice high with emotion, gasping in shock as Eric released her throat. "What's happened to you?" Pam felt real tears creep into her eyes as she remembered nights of dreams, where she'd almost lived this situation. Rolling from the couch she'd been held to forcefully, Pam heard Eric retract his fangs as she briefly massaged her throat enough to get out her words, "How could you think I would go and dig up Russell Edgington?" Looking in the general direction of her maker, Pam flicked her reddened eyes that conveyed confusion toward Bill and Jessica who stood staring; feeling her eyebrows furry as she acknowledged their presence.

"I trust no one." Eric muttered in a voice devoid of all emotion, "and neither should you." Looking over his shoulder he looked a tear stained Pam. Catching a glimpse out of his peripheral vision, Eric looked out at the bar with contemptuous eyes.

Pacing three steps forward, Pam held her stomach as she latched onto the memories of the last months she hoped she'd put to bed forever. Dwelling upon the night Eric had commanded her to tell her true feelings Pam borrowed her own sentiments. "A century together and never once have I ever done anything to hurt you. To hurt us," All eyes fell upon Pam as she spoke whole heartedly to her maker, who looked upon her with sad eyes. Pam felt anger bubble at the core of her being, "if you can't trust me, more than Bill Compton." Pam twitched her head toward Bill as she bit with a furious attitude, "or a werewolf for christs sake, then release me and get it over with." All eyes widened as the shocking words left Pam's mouth, Eric could feel the pain with which it took Pam to utter the words. Looking into her red rimmed eyes, Eric saw a truth in Pam's eyes that seemed to upset her more.

'Keep going Pam.' Eric prompted her mentally.

Letting the red tears fall from her eyes, Pam altered her body language, holding her head high she spoke calmly, "Just say the words, as-your-maker I release you. Say it and we're done!" Pam bit her words trying to mask her voice cracking; the hurt of months over took her once more.

Eric felt something tug at his insides, the meaning and true hurt in Pam's tone telling him that she had once thought of saying that combination of words. 'Say it Pam.'

"SAY IT!" Pam growled her tone pleading somewhat as she choked back tears in defiance. Not wanting to lose complete composure and attitude in her role.

"Don't say it!" Jessica blurted caught up in the drama of it all, her own eyes red rimmed. Out of all the vampires she had met, Eric and Pam although completely and utterly mean on most occasions were the best vampire and progeny she had ever seen. Their commitment and adoration for each other was enviable.

A silence befell the bar, all parties present stunned into speechlessness. Eric looked at a seething but defeated Pam with what he hoped was sadness and shock; trying to contain his pride for her performance was hard. Eric could feel the emotion seep out of his daughter, she was calming off internally. 'Let her in Pam…' Eric's voice said smoothly inside Pam's head.

"Don't be stupid Pam." Eric voiced externally as though exasperated by the whole situation.

"I'm being stupid..?" Pam stifled a laughed, "That's rich coming from a man who distrusts his own progeny in favour for the utter bullshit that runs out of his royal highness' mouth."

Bill's posture hardened as Pam's eyes dug into his, lifting his head high he frowned deeply at the livid vampire before him. "I've come to conduct an interview."

"Interrogation" Pam corrected, her hand sliding onto her hip.

"Call it what you will…" Bill drawled smoothly.

"You can look elsewhere because it wasn't me." Pam drawled assertively.

"It wasn't her." Eric looked at Bill his eyes wavering off to the side. "Like I told you…"

"Still I…"

"It wasn't her. I can feel it." Eric glimpse at Pam who trailed her eyes on the floor. Taking a step forward Eric reached out a hand, his fingers only grazing her shoulder…

"Don't fucking touch me!" Pam shouted, as she flinched out of his touch.

Boomp!

"What's up Pam..?" Arya asked almost despondently as she shoved her phone back in the hidden pocket, not in the mood to comfort the woman who only an hour ago had called her a bitch. Looking up Arya was greeted by more vampires than she'd expected, the sight stopping her in her tracks. "So I go out to take care of business and we gain guests and…" Arya angled her head to look past Bill and Jessica, her eyes looking at the elaborately dressed guards, "Storm troopers?"

"They are my guards." Bill smiled, "And I gather you must be the…" Bill looked for the right word to describe the beauty that stood before him, "insatiably delight that is Arya."

Sauntering toward Pam, "I don't know about insatiable but yes I am Arya…" Arya bobbed her head to Jessica with a smirk, the motion causing butterflies to take flight within Jessica's stomach.

"I'm…"

"Bill Compton… I know. So why are you here?" Arya looked at her maker's blood stained face, "What's the matter?" She asked with true concern. Pam looked at her with eyes that were defiant to let loose another tear, her clenched jaw suggesting a great injustice. "Hey?" Arya clamped a hand around one of the clinched fist Pam knocked against her leg.

Looking out and around at the other vampires around her, Arya's mind boggled at the sight and thoughts of varied emotion. Jessica sent all the empathy she had in Pam's directions, the two armed guards thought nearly identical thoughts, 'shittt, and I thought my family had issues'. Eric and Pam were trying their hardest to keep her out; the only instant blips in the blocks gave her minimal, non-useful information. Whilst Bill's thoughts ranged from the authority, to Eric being weak for his progeny, that maybe Pam hadn't done it.

"Would someone like to explain to me what has happen?" Arya asked confused by the mixed emotions that invaded her mind. The room remained silent as though the other's dared not say anything. "Eric?" Arya asked.

Looking at his grand progeny, Eric blinked slowly trying to think of the best way to explain the scenario without the little firecracker catching on.

"I am here to undertake an interview into the disappearance of Russell Edgington." Bill stated. "Someone has released him."

"My god Eric, what happened?!" Arya blurted at Bill, her face horrified, "In the past hour you've shrunk eight inches and gotten a questionable haircut." Bill's eyes narrowed at Arya's attitude filled quip. "You think it's Pam who released Edgington?"

"We are at the enquiring part of our investigation."

"But you think it was Pam." Arya pushed.

"It could be yes." Bill nodded.

"It-wasn't-me." Pam bit each word trying to enforce her innocence.

"Of course it wasn't." Arya gave her makers arm a comforting squeeze of reassurance, "What led you to that conclusion?"

"Motive" Bill bit bluntly.

"What motive?" Arya rolled her head in the direction of the overly talkative King.

"They think I released Russell as the ultimate pay back for what Eric did." Pam shook her head as she crossed her arm over chest. "Like I'd be that much of a tool."

"And you believe him?" Arya looked at Eric, her eyes fixed on the side of his face, which remained unmoved. "ERIC!"

"No!" Eric's voice rumbled with a low, passionate tone. "I didn't believe but…"

Arya's heart sank as the 'but' sunk into her mind, igniting a fire of fury within her. "You fool…" Arya whispered bitterly.

"I will need both of you, Eric and Pam to accompany me back to the house, where the interview and be conducted formally." Bill stated.

"I'm not going anywhere with any of you." Pam sat into her hip, her mood influenced by the simmering anger that was ever growing with strength within Arya. Feeding off her energy would make the last of the performance easy.

"If you have nothing to hide, why would you risk looking guilty by refusing to cooperate?" Bill asked smugly, mentally noting that thought for later. Pam's eyebrow rose in defiance of Bill's will to play with mind. Bill removed his hands from his pockets, "Then I'm afraid I must arrest you on suspicion of…"

"You have got to be kidding me…"

Eric looked at the two women of his line, "Pam just…"

"Don't Pam just me." Pam let her head swing toward Eric a look of disappointment creeping on to her face.

"Guards please escort, Miss… Pam to the Car." Bill flicked a finger.

The all in black masked guards paced forward, one hand on their weapon.

"Lay a hand on her and I'll rip it from your arm." Arya threatened stepping in front of Pam, her body language as imposing as the sanguine look that over took her eyes. A look which made the guards instinctively stepping backward.

"Arya…" Eric looked over at Arya with eyes preaching restraint.

"Fuck off Eric." Putting a hand on her hip Arya twisted on her heel, turning to face the tall Viking that now towered over her. Eric's eyebrow cocked with a warning tone, an action that Arya mimicked instantaneously as she listened to Eric's thoughts which blurred into a mixture of pride and frustration. 'You don't get to keep doing things at this level of idiocy and still demand ultimate respect from us.' Eric broke his stare with blink as he let the level of Arya's devotion to Pam's happiness sink in. "And when you go take with you the pathetic excuse for a vampire you'd prefer to trust."

"I understand your devotion to your maker," Bill tried a false empathy.

"Do you now?" Arya chortled, "That's funny, I distinctly remember being told you helped stake your maker." Turning her attention to Bill Arya smiled sweetly as Bill's face crumpled into a frown, his teeth clenching.

"If there is no truth behind the allegation Pam will be back with you later tonight." Bill tried to soothe the overly tepid feeling within the room.

"She isn't going anywhere with you." Arya felt a hand touch her back, as Pam gliding beside her.

"Get out of my bar Compton." Pam tapped her foot on the floor.

Bill's nostrils flared, "Sheriff! Control your progenies."

"Pam! Arya!" Eric growled, trying to hide his pride.

"IS THIS A COMPETITION FOR WHO CAN GROWL THE LOUDEST!" Arya yelled loudly.

"You leave me no choice but to arrest the two of you." Bill straightened his back.

"Bill." Jessica bleated, her tone that of an embarrassed daughter. 'Always doing something to screw up the only good things in my life. God she'll never talk to me again.'

"Don't worry Jessica, I don't hold you responsible for your makers failings." Arya smiled at the red head, delighted to receive the same sweet gesture in return.

"Jessica go wait in the car." Bill commanded.

"Wait no, I'm not a new born anymore you can't just..." Jessica argued.

"As your maker I command you go to the car." Bill motioned a hand to his guards as his disgruntled progeny walked on command out of the front entrance. Clutching the second of the guards arm, "He can handle her. You can stay." Turning his attention back to the family of vampires that stood before him Bill cleared his throat. "Arya…"

"Northman de Beaufort." Arya aided.

"I am arresting you …"

"You can try…" Arya paced a step forward, staring at Bill; the lights beginning to flicker around them, the glasses behind the bar clinking together.

"I'm serious…" Bill threatened weakly.

"So am I." Arya shrugged. "Now Pam asked you nicely to leave…"

"I am not leaving… without…"

The lights became more erratic, their flickering more extreme, the buzz of electricity filling the room.

"Eric told you it wasn't her, he is her maker, and they are bonded. I am Pam's progeny and Eric's grand progeny, I am bonded to both of them and I can conclude that neither of them-are-lying. Not even to protect each other."

"But you could be lying to protect the two of them." Bill countered.

Arya chuckled, "I may love Eric but right now, if he were lying I would tell you based on the simple fact he has done more than enough to piss me off severely for the next month. Unlike Pam, I believe knocking Eric off the pedestal we put him on is a good thing…sometimes." Arya shook her head from side to side, "According to the authority rules and regs, lying about knowledge is punishable with servitude to your monarch for 2 months; which ultimately means he'd become your bitch and wouldn't be allowed to complain about it. I'm not lying and neither is he… unfortunately, because that would be kind of wonderful to watch." Arya smiled up at Eric, "So there's your proof, now get out of this bar you overindulged twunt."

"I am the King of Louisiana." Bill decreed in his most self-righteous tone.

Arya body stiffened, her eyes almost apologetic, a new warmness filling them. "Oh my, I am so sorry…" Arya's apologised in the most Southern bell accent Pam had ever heard, curtsying Arya's head bowed low; a sight that made Bill smirk and confused her makers. Lifting her head, Arya smiled briefly through her deadpan expression, "Get out of this bar you Royal overindulged twunt."

Bang!

A bulb popped in its fixture, the vampire's fangs gracing their appearance as an instinctive reaction to the sound of being under attack.

Pam smiled widely; giving Arya got a wink of appreciation, 'Good one.'

"Bill I think it's time for you to leave." Eric prompted, walking toward his guests with outstretched arms.

"You can go with him, I've thrown you off your feet once this week Eric don't think I won't do it again."

Eric looked over his shoulder, a smirk curling at the corner of his mouth. 'Although I find your dedication to the happiness and wellbeing of our family commendable and your anger and attitude rather charming when you let loose on others rein it in my dear. All is not as it seems.' Eric told Arya without words. The two vampires glanced at Pam whose eyes radiated calm happiness.

'What the hell is going on?' Arya asked silently, forcing her hands into the dress pockets just in time to stop them from flying around with frustration.

'Are we letting her in now?' Pam focused her eyebrow inclining.

'Letting me in on what?' Arya's eyes flared with a want for knowledge.

"This isn't finished…" Bill commented knocking Eric's arm downward.

"Oh I think it is." Pam said with a wide toothy smile of contentment.

Looking at an ordinary if not a little stained looking Pam, Arya searched through the mental snippets she'd taken of earlier that evening. They were blocking her out, which means they were either protecting her or hiding something from her. The pair of them had had trouble containing his pride and happiness, 'this doesn't make sense.' Arya inclined her head backward with irritation; they were happy, then sad, then full of pride and happiness, with a side order of anger all whilst crying. But it fizzled out. 'You twisted, manipulative, crazy minded mother fuckers!' Arya exclaimed through their bond. 'This was all fake wasn't it?'

"What is she?" Bill glared at Eric.

Eric rolled his eyes, "She's a vampire."

Arya shook her head, 'If you had just wanted Bill off Pam's case all you had to do was ask.'

The maker's eyes fell on the face of the innocent looking vampire.

"What are you?" He asked looking over Eric's arm to the pretty brunette.

Arya pointed at her fangs, before she retracted them, "Vampire."

"No. What _are_ you?" Bill pressed his point.

"You'll find out soon." Arya baited.

"I am the King of Louisiana…"

Pam rolled her eyes, "As you keep reminding us."

"I demand that you tell me what you are." Bill continued his demand choosing to ignore Pam's flippancy.

"But you are not my King, my alliance is elsewhere." Walking forward Arya stared with all her focus, her eyes locking onto Bill's with a mystifying allure. Bill could feel her inside his mind, her presence as soft as the touch of a lover. 'What is she…'

Eric couldn't believe his eyes. Gazing down upon Arya watching as she smiled sweetly, at a glassy, doe eyed Bill.

"Listen to me…" She said smoothly. Bill nodded his head, "You are a self-righteous dork, who has gotten too big for his boots. You are looking for an out from the shit that is threatening to rain all over you. Aren't you?"

"Yes…"

"Well you were mistaken to think it was Pam."

"I was..?"

"Are you glamouring him?" Pam asked with amazement speeding to her maker and progeny's side.

"Stop that now!" The guard commanded, stepping forward as he raised his gun. Bump. His face meeting Eric's head.

"My god Eric!" Pam exclaimed.

"He was interrupting." Eric shrugged, looking down at the floored guard.

"Yes I am…" Laying a hand on Bill's shoulder, Arya gripped it tightly, "And yes you were very wrong, it was very foolish of you to think that someone with as much to lose as Pam would do something so retarded."

Bill nodded giddily, "I guess it was huh?"

"Mmhmm, but you're going to make up for it. This is what you are going to do. Whilst always remembering all of what you have seen tonight up until now, you're going to go back to your mansion and cross Pam and Eric's names off your suspicious list, happy in the knowledge of my word that neither Pam nor Eric were lying, they are not the people who released Russell Edgington. After all, would this face lie?"

Bill giggled, "I don't see how it could."

"You will remember telling Pam and Eric they need to help you find Russell before the authority brings on its axe upon you head." Bill nodded, "Oh and if you fail and the authority does comes'a'knocking over Russell, you will take the wrap for not ending him, after all you are the king and your subjects only follow after your lead." Arya smiled, "You got that?"

"Yes, Pam and Eric are to help me find Russell." Bill drawled mindlessly.

"Because?"

"They did not release him."

"And?"

"It was all my fault that Russell was not ended, after all my subjects only follow where I lead."

Arya smirked, the same appearance of happiness crossing Bill's face. "Now that's a good little King." Bill smirked with an almost drunken happiness. "Either of you want to drop a penny in the well?" Pam and Eric looked at each other, bewildered by the ability that lay before them. "Any day this century would be good."

"Uh…" Pam's mind reeled, trying to remember all the things she had dreamt of making Bill do. "Every time he feels compelled to say those unbelievably annoying words, I am the King of Louisiana. I wish for him to say, I am the biggest c**t of Louisiana hear me bore. Whilst still believing he's saying the original."

Arya giggled, "Bill… from now on, every time you feel compelled to say that grand speech opener that is… I am the King of Louisiana. I want you to say proudly and smugly, I am the biggest c**t of Louisiana… believing you are saying the first. You want to give it a go?"

"Okay…"

"Who are you Mr. Compton?" Arya asked.

"I am the biggest c**t of Louisiana…"

Pam laughed, "Yes you are."

"Eric?" Arya called.

"I have nothing… but thanks for the offer." Eric answered honestly, he couldn't think of anything ridiculous to bestow upon Compton when before him stood a vampire, a vampire of his line that could glamour one of her own kind.

Turning her back Arya walked back toward the bar, releasing Bill from her trance. "I better…" Bill spoke his mind losing sight of the end of his sentence. "Get back to Jessica; we have to eat before ground. Eric, Pam I'll expect you tomorrow night at my house for a meeting."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world." Eric trained his eyes on Arya who leapt upon the bar examining his fingernails.

"Pam." Bill bobbed his head in the direction of the blonde, "It was a pleasure to meet you Arya."

Looking up from her nails Arya smiled brightly, "The pleasure was mine." She called, as Bill laid his hand upon the door handle, "Don't forget your guard."

Bill peered down at the floor with blurry eyes, "how did?"

"I hit him… technically I head butted him." Eric said, "He'll be out for a while, I'll call him a cab."

"Ok… goodnight." Bill opened the door looking back briefly before exiting.

As the Royal car pull away, "How long have you been able to glamour vampires?" Eric sped into Arya's face, placing his hands on to her legs forcefully.

"I stumbled upon it about ten years into my alone time."

"And you didn't think that was a quality you should have mentioned?" Pam added, sliding to Eric's side.

"It's not exactly something that just slips into everyday conversation. Pass the Puerto Rican human Pam, it's a very moony night tonight, oh yeah and by the way I can glamour vampires now." Eric and Pam looked at each other sharing a mutual thought, "and no I can't glamour either of you."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I've tried, I tried it out on Pam earlier." Arya glimpsed at a less than impressed Pam, "I was only checking, because if it could work on you it could work on him." Arya pointed her finger at Eric.

"What?" Eric's face taking on Pam's expression.

"I won't lie, if I could glamour you I would." She smirked bashfully, "To keep you from getting yourself into trouble you would live to regret. I'd cross even my own line, to keep us safe." Arya shrugged, looking at her lap, "Anyway… who are you two to comment on honesty after the stunt you just pulled. Using me like a pawn in your game, you could have told me."

Eric tapped his grand progeny's thigh, "If we had known you could glamour we wouldn't have had to put on a Broadway production."

"So it's my fault? That you didn't tell me…" Arya questioned.

"No but it would have saved me looking like a rotting Panda." Pam lifted her head from Eric's shoulder pointing to her face, her expression making Arya laughed.

"You look wonderful…" Eric released of Arya's legs, draping his arm around Pam's shoulders. "Well done Meryl."

"I was thinking more along the lines of Nicole Kidman or Grace Kelly but thanks all the same."

"I almost believed you." Eric commented, untruthfully, knowing Pam had meant those words once upon a time.

"I did." Arya frowned, "One is not amused."

"As am I. _We_ need to have a talk, about your _gifts_, what they are, when they started and how they've developed..." Eric said his eyebrows riding high as he looked his grand progeny in the eyes.

"Yes we do." Pam concurred

"Sorry no can do, I'm not allowed to talk about or insinuate that I am in anyway more than just a humble 84 year old vampire." Arya teased, once again her lack of fear to bait Pam making Eric smirk as he all but felt Pam's left eyebrow creep upwards.

"Seriously? Now..?" Pam questioned.

Leaning forward Arya beckoned Pam with a finger. "I didn't want to run the risk of being reckless," Arya whispered playfully, twitching her head her head in Eric's direction twice Arya covered her mouth so Eric could not see her lips move. "He looks like a serious power player to me."

Placing her hand in the lull of her waist Pam "If you weren't so charming with your insolence I would feel obliged to chain you in the dirty basement beneath us to teach you a lesson."

Arya sat backward on her hands, "God damn finishing school, charm classes are still ruining potentially great nights of my life."

Eric rolled his eyes as he watched his children ogle one another with lustful eyes. 'Here we go.' Eric told himself, making his way out back. Their anger at each other never lasted long.

"Where are you going?" Arya asked surprised at Eric's sudden want to depart.

"I have invoices to do."

Pam smiled, "He's just jealous ignore him."

"I'm not jealous…" Eric stopped in the door way, casting a looking over his shoulder.

Lying on the bar Arya leant her chin on her hand, "I'm sure there's room in the basement for you too." Arya's eyes flirted with Eric, sending a tickling sensation through his whole body.

"Uh uh…" Pam wagged a finger, "Friday night is ladies night and as we are closed, we have free _girl_ time."

Arya turned her face to her maker, "What do you have in mind?"

"How about… we go for a swim?" Pam's eyes twinkled and so did Arya's.

"Goodnight children. Remember to eat." Eric reminded turning his back on his horny progenies. While they were out having fun who could entertain him…

"Call and get laid by that red head grumpy… Passive aggressive doesn't suit you." Arya called as Eric disappeared through the closing door.

"Get the fuck out of my head Arya."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The night had been a long one and Eric was feeling every second of it. Laying a top the black silk sheets that adorned his bed, Eric wished for his weary eyes to close. Alas his mind was too busy to retire for the morning.

Placing a supportive hand behind his head, Eric stared at the ceiling thinking about the women of his lineage; who had rolled in only two hours earlier from a night of pleasure and fun. Pam had done well in her performance for Compton, "too well…" Eric told himself, recollecting Pam's words, 'As your maker I release you.' The power of the six words made Eric shudder with displeasure and fright. The displeasure centred on Pam's having ever thought of requesting him to do such a desperate and unthinkable action; and the fright caused by his mind weighing up the pros and cons of letting Pam be truly free. 'There's no good or bad, right or wrong about it. She is yours.' Eric mentally slapped himself.

Sitting up swiftly Eric looked at the wall in front of him, behind which his one and only progeny lay sleeping. Although, Arya was his progeny in a way and he cared for her deeply, Pam was all his, the only person he had ever thought and wanted to create. 'What I must have done to make her even think those words…'

Pam was unwaveringly loyal, stubborn and tough skinned, 'the pain must have been unbearable.' Eric's eyes saddened, his head sinking low into his chest as a monologue of self-hatred played on a loop in his mind. Flopping backward and bouncing slight on the overly stimulated springs, Eric counselled himself with the lessons and advice he had dealt out often to others, "You know better..." He had sworn to Godric and himself many years ago, that he would strive to be as great a maker as Godric himself had been.

'Failing miserably…' Eric taunted himself.

"You will do the right thing Eric." Turning his head to the right Eric looked upon the iridescent and smiling being that took his maker's form beside him.

"I am failing." Eric spoke honestly, finding comfort in the vision of his maker.

"We all falter, humans, vampires, fae, gods and other species alike. It's all part of being, my son." Godric spoke in Eric's native tongue.

Eric snickered, "I don't remember you faltering."

"That would be because you do not wish to remember. I am no divine being Eric, our flaws make us who we are but they needn't define us." Rolling his head to the right, Godric looked at his first progeny with compassion and understanding.

"How did you fail us? Nora and I…" Eric asked unable to recollect a time Godric had disappointed him.

"There were many times, I could have been better than I was. Especially the day I left this earth in physical form…"

Eric remembered that night vividly; still able to feel the call of the imposing sun upon his skin. "I respected your choice."

"You did…but you did not understand it."

I became bored with existing, so I decided to die and honestly Eric I didn't think of anyone other than myself." Eric's eyes widened, "I didn't think you or Nora needed me any longer… I had done my job, I'd created two strong and phenomenal vampires. "

"You're our maker Godric, we'll always need you." Eric corrected.

"No you don't, you are strong. Stronger than I ever was." Eric tried to protest, "If you believe that my word is law Eric believe that. You were born into greatness with my help and Pamela was born in to even greater greatness because she is yours; and need I mention the young Arya."

"Yet I swore I would not fail …"

"Then don't…" Godric stated as he watched Eric look back up at the ceiling, letting out a hopeless sigh. "There is plenty of time to rectify the mistakes of the past; after all as Vampires we are eternal. Time is not a constriction but a state of being for us. Trust in your judgement…" Eric laughed, "Trust in your off spring."

Eric felt an extra coldness take over his skin as a ghostly hand lay upon his shoulder, "How do I fix this mess father?"

"Son, brother…"

"Father, Friend." Eric finished the great collective description of a vampire relationship his maker had taught him. Turning his head once more to the side Eric smiled at the side of the bed that now lay vacant. "Son, brother, friend, father." Eric repeated to himself as he thought of what would serve his progeny best.

/…

An hour had passed since the sun had set into its night slumber as a large hand broke from the ground reaching up to the heavens. Squinting at the moons bright light that delved through the dirt to his face; Eric dragged himself out of the newly dug grave.

Shaking his hair free of soil and its insect inhabitants, Eric stretched out his sleepy limbs as he looked up at the moon under which his progeny would rise into eternal life. Casting his eyes back down at the hole he'd just vacated, Eric smirked. Crouching down on to the back of his heels Eric dug his hands deep into the earth until he revealed the fair face of Pamela Swynford de Beaufort. Even covered with dirt the tall yet dainty blonde was beautiful. Removing all the soil that lay atop her body, Eric scooped the yet to be life filled body from the ground letting Pam drape elegantly in his arms; her head leaning against his chest.

Turning on his heel, Eric lowered his head to that of Pam's, "I thought it was only fitting you should at least lay at rest here once." Looking up at the grand tomb inscribed in a beautiful calligraphy, 'Swynford de Beaufort', Eric passed through its even grander oak doors. Laying Pam upon the risen flat marble sarcophagus of her ancestor, Eric lit the eight candles he had placed around the room beforehand.

Opening the double width casket he'd had acquired in the few hours of night he had before he had gone to ground with Pam, Eric retrieved a purple and white gown. "This will look wonderful on you." Eric complemented as he hung it from one of the unused wall mounted candle holders before removing from the casket a large bowl of water and a cloth.

Placing them beside Pam on the marble slab, Eric rang out the majority of the water wiping softly at the dirt that blemished Pam's face. With the use of his vampire speed and agility Eric had Pam restored washed, brushed and redressed in the elegant purple gown within five minutes of beginning the task of duty. No one deserved to wake up dirty. That thought making Eric run the dampened cloth over his own dishevelled person. The only thing letting down his attempt to return himself and Pam to their former polished excellence was the slight discolouring of their usually glowing golden hair. 'I'm not a miracle worker.' Eric told himself with a congratulatory tone for a job well done; and there she lay the fair woman in the light blue cape who had captured his mind.

Lifting her into his hold once more Eric re-laid Pam into the antique oak casket, arranging her hair to his satisfaction Eric beamed, "I won't be long, I'm going to get us some food. Try not to awaken before I return." Leaving the lid open, Eric wandered out into the night.

..

Half hour had just passed when Eric dragged his prey into the sheltered eating room in the Swynford de Beaufort tomb. "Honey I'm home…" Eric called jokingly, captured in his role of hunter and provider.

"Good. I was beginning to think you had gone back on your word and left me." An eloquent, well enunciated voice spoke.

Looking up from his catch Eric smiled at his straight backed and perched progeny. "Miss Swynford de Beaufort." Eric bobbed his head.

"Mr. Northman." Pam mimicked Eric's head tilt, a light hearted smile creeping at the corners of her mouth. "By the way, nice touch…" Pam looked around her, "putting me to ground in a vault filled with the people I'm leaving behind."

Dropping the limbs of the two unconscious snacks, Eric paced forward quickly examining Pam with extra intention, "How do you feel?"

"Excellent…" Pam breathed, a smile become more blissful with every passing moment. With her head raised high and her eyes closed, Pam listened and smelled the completely new world around her. Inside her something buzzed, like a bee trapped in a jar; as though all the electromagnetic energy in the world flooded her every sense and muscle. Sounds were clearer, smells more vivid, her vision sharper.

Walking further into Pam until his pelvis touched her knees, Eric cupped her face in his hand. The connection of skin on skin making Pam's eyes open instantly. Smiling back at the face that smiled at him, Eric gazed into the eyes that had hypnotised him, that now held the brightest light of life he had ever seen. "Welcome to your world Pam." Eric just managed to get his greeting out before Pam's soft lips took hold of his own; her arms finding their way around his neck, her body falling into his.

Wrapping his arms around her torso Eric clutched at her dress, twirling her way from her seat a top the sarcophagus and into a deeper and more lustful kiss; her gown dancing elegantly in the breeze they created. As he held her within his grasp Eric felt his insides toss as the bond between himself and his progeny tingled with ecstasy. The feeling was new to Eric, a feeling he couldn't compare to anything he'd ever experienced before. It was similar to the love he held for his maker Godric but there was something extra… attraction. Eric could feel the joy of freedom radiated from Pam into his own mind and heart, her sheer happiness making the kiss even more delightful on Eric's end.

The newness of the unknown relationship ahead filled Pam with every good and lustful feeling that was known to man. Eric, the man who held her tightly locked into the most amazing kiss was going to be the most important figure in her whole life; and she felt that. He was her new beginning, her world of opportunity; and god did he know how to kiss.

Retreating from the longest and best kiss she'd ever experienced, Pam lent her forehead against her makers. "Thank you Eric." She whispered with all the sincerity in the world, her charming accent making Eric smile. "You're my saviour…"

Rolling his forehead on hers Eric lowered Pam to the world, "I merely gave you what you deserved, what I deserve too." Pam smiled up at the man who had saved her from certain death and misfortune. "I have walked this earth for almost a thousand years and I have never found anyone with the exception of my maker and my sister, who has managed to capture my attention. From the moment you walked into me on that back street you were meant to be with me."

"I believe that too... " Pam's eyes welled with sadness, red tears tipping down her cheeks as her head dipped deep into her chest.

"What's this..?" Eric placed a finger under her chin, raising her head until she looked at him.

"I'm just so thankful for you..." Pam took the handkerchief from Eric's extended hand, "for you finding me _that_ night." Wiping her eyes, Pam noticed the crimson stain that appeared on her soft cotton material, "What's…?"

"Oh… first vampire lesson, when you cry you won't cry regular tears anymore, they'll be blood."

"I am suddenly really glad I don't cry often." Looking at the blood soaked rag; but Pam nodded her head allowing her to except the tears of blood.

"What was so special about that night?" Eric asked curiously, picking up on the attempt to hide the emphasis on the word 'that'.

Wiping away the last of her tears Pam looked at Eric, "They disowned me."

"Who?"

"Who do you think?" Pam asked sharply, the thought of her parents infuriating her. Letting out a breath she didn't need, Pam looked at Eric with apologetic eyes, "My parents…"

"Why?" Eric wondered. "Did they find out about your _friends_?"

"Yes…No." Pam ran a hand through her hair, "They promised my hand to Lord, someone or another."

"And?" Eric asked.

"I refused obviously." Pam shook her head, continuing bitterly. "They told me that at my age I had no right to be so picky about such things; that he would make a wonderful and quiet husband." Pam crossed her arms over her chest.

"They sold you?" Eric questioned with a tone of disgust.

Pam nodded, "Practically…" Pam shrugged, "And when I told them I wouldn't be sold into a loveless marriage, that I wanted to make my own path…" Pam remembered her father's reaction, holding her wrist that had once hurt from the pressure of his grasp. "My father was furious; he pulled me to my room by my wrist like the naughty child…" Pam saw herself fall to the floor of her opulent room, "He told me I had done enough to ruin the reputation of my family. He knew all about my soho escapades, he'd had someone following me for months…" Eric's eyes widened as the truth of Pam's not so comfortable life spilled, like the odd tear down her cheek. "I was to marry or be locked in my room like Rupunzel in her tower. For the rest of my days…"

"So you defied him." Eric stated the obvious.

"I gathered the money I had saved, packed a few essentials in a case, tossed on my cloak and climbed out of my window onto the flower trellis bellow and ran."

"So, the night I found you…" Eric started.

"I had booked myself into a hotel not that far from Soho and I planned to see a man who could get me on a boat to America."

Eric's eyebrow raised questioningly, "America?"

"San Francisco to be exact... the ticket should be in my bag still." Pam looked at Eric with happy eyes, "I needed to find my life on my own terms. I needed new beginning."

"And little did you know you'd run right into it." Eric wiped away the tears of sadness and frustration from Pam's face. "The way they treated you may hurt now but a hundred years from now... you won't even remember them." Eric bowed his head so that he looked at Pam from under his brow. "A very wise being once told me that a vampire relationship is nothing like any other relationship upon this earth. Although we are all, both human and vampire bonded by blood ties; humans can not perceive the depth of a vampire and progeny bond. We are parents, son and daughter, brother and sister, friends and often lovers. We are the deepest families alive…" Pam looked deep into Eric's eyes seeing the truth in what he said a sight that comforted her.

"Who told you that?" Pam asked, wiping a defiant tear from her face.

Eric smiled brightly, "My maker, Godric."

"You have so much love for him." Pam smiled at the look of unconditional love Eric would one day hold in his eyes for her.

"He holds my best interests at heart; he gave me an opportunity to live longer than the twenty eight years I was given as a human. He is over two thousand years old and is the wisest and greatest vampire I have ever known; I intend to be your Godric."

"That sounds like a high pedestal to put yourself upon."

"Maybe it is and maybe I'll fail and fall from that great height but know, I will always put your best interests first." They smiled brightly at one another. "For example," Release Pam from within the clinch, Eric pointed, "you're a new born so…" Walking the few steps to one of the two unconscious, Eric threw the female over his shoulder, "you need to feed." Pam watched curiously as Eric laid the girl upon her great grandfather's sarcophagus; rearranging a girl's hair.

"We're meant to be eating her, why are you doing her hair?" Pam's head leaned to the side, her eyebrow high and a hand on her hip.

Looking over his shoulder, Eric smirked, "something tells me, you won't hesitate to tell me what you need." Holding out a hand Eric continued, "Come become the best vampire you can be."

Sliding her hand into Eric's, Pam soon tasted her first blood.

….

Eric sat up suddenly; awakening from his daydream of times long passed; the sounds of voices down echoing up the stairs.

Leaping from his bed Eric was downstairs silently within seconds. Peering through the doorway into the large sitting room, Eric saw a figure sat upon the couch; Arya was sat flicking through the channels at increasing speed.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Arya asked the presence she could feel behind her. Reclining her head backward Arya winked at Eric.

"There seems to be no sleep within me tonight." Eric replied as he patted the top of Arya's head, making his way around the sofa.

"Nor I…"

Lifting Arya's legs upward as she continued to channel surf, Eric sat beside her on the comfortable couch he didn't frequent; replacing her legs across his lap. "I'm surprised Pam's asleep whilst you are not."

"I wore her out." Arya's head rolled in Eric's direction a cheeky smile gliding its way across her face.

"Girls night was a success then?"

"Girls night is always a success." Dropping the remote in her lap, Arya turned her attention unwaveringly to Eric, her toes wiggling like an awkward child awaiting '_a talk' _with their parent. "How was your night with the invoices?"

Eric pursed his lips slightly, the thought of the still rather large pile of invoices sat on his desk making his head ache. "Mundane."

"You should get your guy to get you a guy."

"No accountant is trustworthy… I'm better off doing them myself."

"Sceptic…" Arya noted.

"Optimist…" Eric bit back playfully.

"Old…"

"Stubborn."

Arya huffed, "Look who's talking." Eric rolled his eyes, a smirk flicking at the corner of his mouth momentarily. Leaning forward in toward Eric, Arya propped her elbow on top of her knee, resting her chin on her hand. "You need to get laid."

"Are you offering?" Eric asked looking deep into the young vampire's eyes, his tone deep and earthy.

"Now who's the optimist?" Arya smirked mischievously, "I'm not, not offering, but you didn't want to take up my earlier offer." Arya raised a questioning eyebrow, 'foolish man'.

"Pam clearly wasn't excited at the prospect of third wheel. Anyway we just aren't that way inclined anymore."

Arya shrugged, "Everybody fizzles to some degree then time goes by and time brings the sexy back."

Eric's eyebrow rose sceptically, "Have you ever fizzled?"

"No, not really, I tend to sizzle…" Arya tapped her fingers on the side of her face.

"And that's why she's very much into you still."

"I remember you sizzle pretty well yourself."

Eric laughed, "but not with Pam… anymore. You just have to except she's more for her own fairer sex."

"Whatever you're the one losing out." Arya reclined backward into the corner of her end of the couch, a fire burning in her eyes at the memories she had of times spent with both Eric and Pam.

Regaining a clear head, through the fog of desire for the brunette with the big aqua eyes that sat before him twirling a curl around her finger, as she got lost in thoughts of a similar nature; Eric asked, "Did you two get time to talk?"

"Yes, it's a usual occurrence when socialising." Arya drawled sarcastically.

"About your abilities..?" Eric probed mimicking her drawl.

"We were too busy having fun." Arya rolled her eyes as she turned her head to the television, hoping that if by watching the documentary on the life of Countess Elizabeth Bathory the conversation she didn't care to have would seize to go forward.

Grabbing the remote from Arya's lap Eric muted the television, "Surely you didn't think after going all Sigmund Freud on us by glamouring Bill, _we _wouldn't have this conversation?" Eric pushed. Eric could feel Arya's reluctance to talk about the powers that made her anything but an ordinary vampire.

Arya crossed her arms over her chest, "I'll admit I was naively optimistic in thought you may just forget about it."

"Don't you want us to know?"

"Not especially…" Arya shrugged her shoulders.

"Why?" Eric's voice rumbled with surprise.

Running her hand through her hair, Arya pulled her legs toward her chest. "Because in hindsight I wish I didn't know."

"Why?"

"Because the world was a lot simpler before I knew."

"Why?"

"Can you only ask why?" Arya enquired irritably.

"No. Of course not…" Eric looked at the considerably younger vampire, who stared right through him – lost in the truths concealed within her skull. Sliding nearer to Arya who sat with her arms wrapped around her legs, her chin leaning atop her knees, Eric flicked her forehead. "Whatever it is, you can tell me, us, Pam and I."

Arya's eyes buried into Eric's with a glazed confusion and anger, "Did you just flick me?"

"Stop trying to change the subject."

"I will, if you stop trying to make me tell you something I'm not ready to tell and you are not ready to hear." Arya bit, her frustrated tone hit Eric with impact; he'd never seen Arya so quietly disturbed and unwilling to talk.

"Now you have to tell me, what are you Arya?" Arya looked anywhere but at Eric who was trying to read her. Clutching her face in one powerful hand, Eric turned her resistant head until she looked him square in the eyes. "Do you know what you are?"

"Kind of."

"What are you?" Letting go of Arya's face, Eric sat backward in his seat.

"I can't tell you."

"What could be so monumental that you can tell the people who created you?"

"Don't pull the maker card on me…" Arya slid away from Eric sharply, her rising anger at Eric's constant need to push propelling her further than she had intended. "Then again, luckily you don't have quite that much dominion over my existence." Arya smirked smugly.

"I could go wake Pam and command her to command you to divulge all you know." Eric watched as the mood changed in Arya's eyes, a reluctant concern mixed with an easy sense scepticism over Eric''s statement. "I'll do it."

Arya's eyes narrowed, "Why are you pushing this?" Eric rose from his seat, striding toward the door. "Eric don't…" Arya shot to her feet, looking over his shoulder Eric watched as Arya fought with her thoughts.

"We must be know everything about each other. It's what keeps us strong."

"You mean the way Pam and I know about Nora being a chancellor of the authority." Eric's eyes open widely, he hadn't told anyone about Nora, "You weren't the only one visiting me when I was in my thirty year exile." Eric rolled his head, why must Nora get involved. "Do you think it is fun for me to conceal a part of myself from you two?"

"Then why aren't you speaking..?"

"Because it's the way I can keep us safe," A look of desperation and angst covered Arya's face as the words left her lips. As she blinked Arya found Eric before her, looking down upon her from his grand height.

"Keep us safe from what?" Eric asked calmly.

"A war is coming Eric." Arya replied honestly, her voice lilting with its original well bread twang as she gazed up into Eric's concerned eyes, "What I am I can't afford to tell you yet…" laying a hand on Eric's chest, patting it the hard and tensed muscles that rippled, "but I can tell you what powers I have."

Feeling the turmoil seep from the petite brunette's being, Eric bowed his head until his lips lay at her hair parting.


End file.
